Love is Messy
by I-read-books-not-drugs
Summary: Flaming Zutara, zesty Taang and saucy Sukka...in high school! promiscuous themes at times. But it is still funny with a LOT of drama mixed in too. It is only T/M to be safe, for implied sex and use of the 'f' word. Jetara is temporary! R&R! 143
1. The Life of the Party

**I am sorry I know that I should be working on my other story but I am not… I have been inspired by Zutara. Anyway, here is my MODERN remake where the Gaang is in high school together! Be warned, they drink a lot. **

**Toph and Aang: Freshmen**

**Suki and Katara and Azula: Sophomore**

**Sokka and Mai and Zuko: Junior**

**Jet: Senior**

**I do not own these characters, blah blah blah…**

The reason he loved her was because of his mother. She reminded him so much of his mother, they were both so kind and generous and caring. He couldn't ignore her when they first met and so they became friends immediately. That had been years ago, now they were much older.

They had hated each other when they were younger though. Zuko used to bully Aang, but once he stopped living with his parents, Zuko's uncle made him 'see the light' and he became a better person. That was during his freshman year, and during Junior year Katara and the GAang started to like him and now they were all friends. Now Zuko and Katara were practically best friends who did everything together.

"Zuko! Lighten up it's a fucking party!" A drunken Ty Lee yelled at him. Usually Zuko was more of a drinker, but he just didn't want to as he watched Katara from across the room.

But when he saw her start making out with her ex, Haru, he downed a shot of Vodka. Then another. And two more. And soon he was piss drunk and making out with his ex, Mai. After a while, both of them got bored and Mai said something about hooking up with Chan or Ron Jon.

"This isn't a bad party huh?" Katara asked him.

"Oh shit, hey," he said startled.

"So I saw you and Haru…"

"I saw you and Mai."

He said back, "Have you ever maybe thought of I don't know…NOT being defiant?"

She knew he was teasing so she said, "No baby, it's just for you!"

But the BFF mood was broken when Haru arrived. "Hey, hey Katara, so I was thinking, we should like, hang out baby!"

"Um I don't know I mean when we were kissing an hour ago I wasn't really-"

"Oh," his sadness turned to anger, "so you like this jerk?"

"Dude, fuck off," Zuko said.

"Oh, come on Katara, Kit-Kat?" his words slurred badly though.

Zuko took Haru's drink and through it across the room, "Fetch."

Katara giggled and told him, "Brilliant Blue!"

Even though Zuko's (snooty) family crest was red and wore red every day, his nickname was the Blue Spirit, nobody could really remember how he got it, except for Katara and Zuko himself; also, nobody knew how Katara got HER nickname, the Painted Lady. It was because in Junior High, when Azula bullied everyone, Katara used to put a mask on and fight back and stand up to her. So, now whenever there is trouble, people call the Painted Lady, she doesn't wear the mask any more though. Now, no one but Sokka, Aang, Zuko , and Katara even remembered her being called that.

Katara is a people person, she has perfect grades and she is still one of the most fun people in school. Like tonight, she is only a little bit drunk and she was acting so crazy.

"Zuko! Zu-koooohh! Zuuuuu-ko! Let's go onto the roof," since they were both drunk, they went to the roof of Ty Lee's huge apartment where the party was being held and sat down. It took them ten minutes to even find how to get up there.

But once Zuko and Katara were seated, cuddled very close together because of the cold, Katara sobered and said, "Zuko, I can't believe we only have one more year together, I mean, next year you will be a senior and then you'll be gone, and so will Sokka…"

"I'll miss you."

"You didn't say us, what about Toph and Aang and…"

"What about them?" this was his moment, he leaned in. And she did too, and…

And they kissed.

Katara had dreamed about this moment so many times, she wasn't like the typical teenage girl who was shallow and stupid, but still, she had crushes. And among the female and a few male students at Omashu High School, Zuko was a popular crush.


	2. Drunk as a Skunk

**DRUNK AS A SKUNK**

**Yay chapter 2 so soon! But why are you being so nice? You might ask. Well I might tell you, actually no I won't. You will have to read and find out…**

The next morning Suki and Katara were the most hungover they had ever been.

"See? That is what you get for drinking!" Sokka told the two girls lying on the couch.

"Dammit Sokka do you have to talk so annoyingly?" Katara asked her brother.

"Hey I'm just saying and anyway you two had better hurry up and get dressed, we've got school," Sokka said.

"Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. Katara, school is going to be hell," Suki said, just thinking of all the loud noises and bright lights and awful teachers.

"Nah, everyone in the school is hungover, we all went to the party last night," Katara replied coolly.

But they still got up, rather painfully so, and Katara lent Suki a pair of huge sunglasses and they both wore jeans and baggy sweatshirts. Sokka drove them both telling Suki she was in no shape to drive now. He had told her this last night also, that was why she spent the night with Sokka and Katara.

Suki and Aang and Katara all had first period math together. Aang, even though he was in the 9th grade, was a genius, so he had most advanced classes, so did Toph. It was also Katara and Suki's worst subjects, which was why they were in it with only two other sophomores, Aang, and like ten freshmen.

Katara had way too bad of a headache to even try to pay attention, so she put in her headphone to her iPod and drowned out the class with the Stars. First she listened to Dead Hearts then put the album on shuffle.

Finally, once math was over, Katara shuffled down the hall to get to English but bumped in to somebody. She looked up to say something but was surprised to see it was Zuko.

"Oh hey, I see you're just as hungover as I am," she said gesturing to his sunglasses and iPod.

"Funny. I am probably worse…I keep telling myself I will stop with the Vodka but…"

"Ouch, that must be a killer in the headaches department."

"Ha fucking ha," he said sarcastically.

"Did you see Aang, he went to the party last night and now he looks like shit!"

"He probably has a low tolerancy, and I don't remember seeing him, are you sure?" Zuko replied.

"Yeah, and I don't know why Ty Lee through a party on a Sunday night."

Katara knew they should talk about the kiss they shared last night and she could tell he was thinking the same thing but they had an unspoken agreement not to do it right now at school.

"Hey hey Sparky!"

"Hi Toph," Katara said.

"Whats wrong with you two, Zu look moodier than ever!"

"Toph we have hangovers." Zuko said in an isn't-it-obvious, voice.

"Ha! You sissies, me and Aang-"

"Ohmygod! You what?" Katara's motherly instinct said.

"Jeez I'm fifteen, we did not have sex if that is what you are wondering. Who the fuck do you think we are? You two?"

"Ah we aren't fucking…" Katara said, too embarrassed to even look at Zuko.

"Yeah uh sure… so like I was saying, me and Aang left that lame party halfway through and -"

"That's why I didn't see you there!" Zuko interrupted.

"—went to the Ember Woods and you'll never guess what we found!" Toph finished excitedly.

"What?" "What was it?" Zuko and Katara both asked, but then the late bell rang and Katara asked, "What classes do you have? I've got English."

Zuko answered, "Math."

And Toph said, "Free period."

"Well see ya later."

Katara's headache came back as she tried to do the assignment Mr. Pakku gave them. Katara was so spaced out she didn't even know her step-Grandfather asked her a question, "Huh?"

"Thank you for coming back to us Miss Katara, I asked, what is the meaning of this passage from Othello? 'Were I the Moor I would not be Iago. In following him I follow but myself; Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty'."

"Well in early speech, 'Iago' refers his um tactics to Roderigo. He follows Othello not out of "love" or "duty," but because he thinks he can exploit his master..?" she trailed off at the end in an unsure way after seeing the teachers face. Halfway through her small monologue his mouth fell open and he stared at her. She asked, "Was that right?"

"It was amazing, I've never heard someone who understands Shakespeare so well!"

"Oh wow thanks, I've read Othello before."

"Well it shows."

So after an odd English class, Katara met up with Suki for Musical Theory, it was as hard as ever, it was also very boring but after an hour it was over, then came lunch.

Katara and Suki walked into the cafeteria and were met with yelling. Everyone in the cafeteria was staring at two people who were yelling at each other. Then Katara saw who the people were, it was: Azula and Zuko. The brother sister duo that hated each other more than anything. Since Azula still lived with her father and Zuko didn't, it put tension between them. Zuko had moved out because he and his father had had…rough patches. However, Azula was as bad as ever and stayed.

Aang had just gotten his lunch and was still in line to pay, but he'd frozen and was openly staring like everyone else. Toph, Sokka, and Teo were also staring but they were at a table. Toph had a slice of pizza hanging out of her mouth.

Suki had stopped at the door to hear what they were saying but Katara thought that she should break up the ruckus. So, she ran up to Zuko and (because of her groggy hungover brain) she kind of ran in to Zuko who in turn said "umph!"and she got his attention and hissed in his ear,

"Stop it; you two are making a seen!"

This made Zuko look around and notice just how popular his and his sister's argument had been. He hadn't even noticed the attention they were getting, so Zuko glared at his younger sister and then took Katara's arm and pulled her out of the cafeteria. Even though Azula was still in the middle of saying, "Father considers you a failure!"

Zuko ran down the halls with Katara in tow. Once they got to the Math Hall staircase where NOBODY liked to go, Zuko sat on the stairs.

"Zuko! Oh my God, what were you arguing about?"

"Katara I—do you know why I moved out?"

"Um, because your Dad is controlling and your sister is a bitch?"

"Well… there's more, there's a lot more. And I want to tell you about it but, but not here, not now. Because frankly, I can hear your stomach growling."

"Okay um, when?"

"Meet me at the CoffeeBar tomorrow night," Zuko told her in a grave voice, but then all of a sudden he lightened up and smiled, "Do you wanna get out of here?"

"Like ditch?" she said and he smiled at her expression. Katara was a "good girl" and she never ditched but she said, "Hell yeah."

"Let's go," he chuckled and told her they'd get some food. And so she rode away on the back of Zuko's badass motorcycle.

* * *

><p>After Katara's "outing" with Zuko, they went back to Zuko's Uncle's house (mansion) and watched a movie, however, ten minutes through, two best friends fell in love and kissed at a party and the air got so tense that she practically burst, "! Why?"<p>

"Katara slow down!"

"Zuko we kissed! You and me, we have been best friends for two years and now we are drunken kissing?" Katara said, conveniently leaving out that she had actually really liked it, that she actually really liked him.

"Well um, what do you um, propose we…do?"

"Oh-oh you know, I just was wondering."

Zuko thought, _great now is my chance, since we have been friends now I can finally tell her how I feel_. And so he started, "Well, we've been best friends for a while right, so-"

"So we should stay that way!" Katara burst out.

She knew he had been about to say "so we should stay that way" so, _she_ said that because for some irrational reason she would just die if she allowed him to say it, for him to break her heart and only want to be friends, it was better for her to at least have some dignity and tell HIM. However, only later would Katara find out what he had really been meaning to say was, "so now we can move on to something more than friends".

Zuko stuttered and his heart broke but he said, "Oh! Uh, yeah friends…" And looked away.

_So that's what she thinks of me as. A friend. Now I am kind of glad I didn't say that we should take the next step. _His feelings were all mixed up and he thought, _wow, so this is what it is like to love a girl who doesn't love you back…a beautiful, smart, funny, caring, amazing girl._

**Oh no, poor Zuko and Katara, for those of you who thought that was confusing, let me clear up that last part: both Katara and Zuko are being a little insecure and thinking the other doesn't like them. So, Katara, not wanting to be rejected, tells Zuko she doesn't like him even though she does. Zuko obviously does not know she likes him so he pretends not to like her…oh young love, so confusing and sad. **

**Anyway, tell me what you think. Review. Do it! The button is right there. Come on. Please?**

**REVIEW!**


	3. Love Strong Live Long

**Hey hey to all you people who read my story! I really hope you are reading my other's notes because i put a lot of thought in to this mindless drabble...insert sarcasm here. ANYWAY, I WANT THREE REVIEWS BEFORE I POST A NEW CHAPTER! if you don't review i will blow up the world.**

**Please enjoy.**

LIVE LONG, LOVE STRONG

Toph headed in to her Physics class and sat in the back row and doodled most of the time, though occasionally poking the back of Aang's head, he sat in front of her.

Toph and Aang had the same classes but some of them were at different times, Physics, Trigonometry, Advanced Honors Junior level World History, Honors Spanish, Honors French, and Honors Sophomore English, and of course P.E. Most students didn't take two languages, heck, Aang and Toph were probably as smart as or smarter than Zuko and Sokka. But the difference between Aang and Toph was that Aang tried in school and made all 'A's' while Toph made shittier grades and fooled around a lot, mostly getting by because of her ability to retain knowledge easily.

She poked the back of Aang's head again and whispered, "Let's go to CoffeeBar after school."

"I can't," he whispered.

"What? Why not?"

"Because I have Band practice and you have Karate Class."

"Oh. Then let's leave now."

"No, Toph that would be a waste because we only have French after this," he said, the teachers hadn't even noticed.

"What about after?"

"Sure."

So after French class, Aang and Toph hitched a ride off of Sokka and Toph, Aang, Sokka, and Suki all went to their favorite coffee shop.

"So, have you guys heard from Zuko, he wasn't in Physics with us?" Aang said gesturing to himself and Toph.

Sokka's face went white, "Oh God, Katara's missing too!"

Toph said, giggling, "It was bound to happen sooner or later!"

"Ex-nay Toph," Aang whispered in her ear. She loved his breath on her neck. She loved…

Everyone knew that Toph and Aang had a thing, it wasn't an official thing, more like, they like each other and they'd kissed a few times and sometimes, if Toph was in a sappy mood, they might hold hands. They were both fifteen years old. So, technically they could do what they pleased, actually, Toph did whatever she pleased all of the time, and so did Aang. Except well, Aang was generally better and more behaved so his Godfather, Gyatso, gave him a lot of freedom.

Toph was a different story. Her parents were consistently inconsistent, they were gone almost all of the time, doing business or going to the Bahamas for the weekend, and so, with the exception of the staff (i.e. the butler and nanny and cleaning people) all of whom were live-in workers for the Bei Fong family, Toph was on her own most of the time. However, this was good sometimes because she could through crazy parties and not feel repercussions. She could also have Aang and the rest of her friends over all the time. And as long as she didn't fail any classes, her life stayed this way until college.

"Um hey space cadet, you wanna come back down to earth?" Suki asked all of a sudden.

Toph said, "Huh?"

"You've been totally spaced out! I said, we should all probably get home," Sokka said.

"Oh uh, yeah."

So, ten minutes later everyone was in Sokka's smallish car, when Aang asked, "Toph, are you okay?"

"Jeez Twinkle Toes, you worry wayyy too much, I'm great," but it didn't sound very convincing. Toph knew that there was something up with her lately but she didn't know what.

"Sokka, would you drop Toph and me off at my house?" Aang said a moment later.

"Sure buddy," Sokka said to his younger friend.

"Good."

So for the next five minutes, the Gaang sat in silence, listening to the engine of the car and the noises of Suki's phone as she texted.

And as quickly as the drive came and went, Aang and Toph were getting out of the car in the dense rain and they both ran into Aang's house.

"Gyatso! Toph is here!" Aang yelled as he ran inside and dumped his back pack on the stairs and took Toph's hand.

"Don't shut the door," his Godfather replied, knowing Aang wouldn't do THAT.

Aang led Toph to his room even though she knew the way, and they both sat on his large bed and Aang said, "Please talk to me Toph."

"…" he was met with silence and Toph looked away.

"Look I know you shut everyone else out but please, please lemme help?"

Toph was so overcome by emotions when he said that, that she leaned over and kissed him with such force that they both fell backwards.

Toph would've punched anyone else who said this to her but hearing it from Aang, knowing that there was for sure one other person in the Universe that loved and understood her that much made her heart swell.

Aang was a bit taken aback bet he drifted in to the kiss until they finally pulled away to breath.

They both sat, cross-legged, across from each other in comfortable silence. And then, somehow always knowing what to do in any situation, Aang pulled Toph in to his lap and wrapped his arms around her. Usually they were not this physical…

Toph pulled her knees up to her chest and said, "I-I don't know, I've been feeling off lately."

"Maybe we should go to a doctor?" he asked softly, knowing she hated doctors.

"Yeah I don't think so," she replied in a snarky voice.

"Fine, but if it keeps up, I am taking you to a doctor!"

She kissed Aang's cheek then said, "Ugh, enough with this sappy nonsense, let's do something fun!"

* * *

><p>"Katara! If you are not in this house I will-"<p>

"What? Whatcha gonna do?" Katara snuck up on the surprised Sokka who probably thought she was out drinking right now, rather than finishing her homework in the living room.

"Oh thank God…where is he? Where's Zuko?"

"Zuko?" her heart leaped in sadness and unbelievably, something else. Was it rage? _Why doesn't he love me too?_ Then she snapped out of it hearing Sokka's voice.

"Yeah, are you hiding him in here? What have you two been up to alone all day, after you SKIPPED SCHOOL?"

"NOTHING, so you're allowed to have your girlfriend spend the night here, in your own room? But I can't even have a boy over?" she asked outraged at his unreasonable panic.

"You've gotta be joking, this is different!"

"Yeah like how?"

He changed the subject, "Just where is he," Sokka said, through pillows off the living room couch, as though Zuko were somehow stuck in the linens with Katara's panties.

"He isn't here. And why are you so paranoid, he has been here a million times before!"

"Yeah but, yeah but…" he didn't tell her what he had been seeing lately. Sokka had seen the way Zuko had been looking at his sister today and how they left together, only another man could recognize the look in Zuko's eyes when he was around her, and Sokka had started to notice that look a lot lately.

"Ahh fine Sokka whatever!" Katara screamed and stomped out of the room, breathing hard after their fight.

When Katara got in to her room she felt like doing something dangerous, I'll show Sokka, she thought. Actually, she was mad at today's events. Zuko not loving her back, her argument with Sokka, danger was something she needed now. And she knew exactly who to call.

"Toph, I want to get in to a fight!"

"_Alright Sugerqueen! Who with?"_

"It doesn't matter, I just know I am pissed and need to blow some steam."

"_Sweet. Let's go to Paddy's bar, they don't ID and I know that Jet and his crew hang out there."_

"Yeah, that's good. Then I will meet you there in ten minutes."

Katara went all-out for the evening; she put on leather pants and a faded black t-shirt, all of which was very tight like a second skin on her toned body. And to finish, she pulled on her worn black, leather jacket that she wore almost every day.

Then she grabbed her keys from the kitchen counter and got in her sky blue PT Cruiser. She loved the car like a child and never let Sokka drive it. It was a five minute drive to the bar, she had heard of it before from Zuko…and knew vaguely where it was. No she shouldn't think of Zuko now, it only hurt.

She saw Toph and surprisingly she was accompanied by…Aang. Katara knew Aang knew how to fight because he had taken Martial Arts and kickboxing classes with her. However, he would never use his skills like Katara knew she would. He still trained but Katara had quit a couple years ago. However, she also used to do gymnastics, and she still worked out all of the time.

So it was safe to say, that Katara and Aang were in good shape. Toph was a natural fighter, though, it didn't hurt that she took Karate classes twice a week.

"Hey! Jet, Smellerbee, Longshot, Pipsqueak, The Duke, and two other guys are in there-"

"Toph, this is such a bad idea, we-" Aang was saying, trying to convince the girls to behave.

"Aang, if you don't wanna fight then you can either leave or watch and help us clean up the blood."

Aang sighed and looked at Toph; something in her eyes told him that he should stay. So he said I will stay but I don't condone this…"

Yet for some reason, Katara wanted to explain to him what she was feeling, "Aang when you're pissed, what do you do?"

He looked down and said, "Meditate."

"Look, we all have…coping mechanisms, you meditate, I fight, and Toph drinks," she said somehow wisely.

"Fine, I don't like it, but I understand, just try not to get hurt."

So, the three of them rushed into the bar and Aang ordered a drink, Whisky on the rocks. Katara and Toph didn't even bother though.

Toph went straight up to Smellerbee who was a year older and at least forty pounds heavier and shoved the girl, whom immediately shoved back.

However, Katara took on a much more, extreme, opponent. Longshot, he was two years older and not that much bigger. But he had great offense. However, so did Katara, and his defense was lacking, so all Katara had to do to win the fight was be fast and use her flexibility to dodge his punches and make her own stealthy kicks and hits and…voila!

It wasn't easy, but Katara won and so did Toph, so together they took on Pipsqueak which was very simple, and then each girl went for the other two people, whose names Katara did not know.

Finally, last stood Jet. Katara walked up to him but instead of sinking in to a fighting stance like her, he grabbed her arm and said, "Impressive. Not many people can do that Katara," he sounded impressed.

"I know."

"Ouch that was a compliment, no need to be feisty."

"Excuse me, um are you hitting on me?" Katara asked, she was sort of flirty with him.

"As a matter of fact yes, I am," and so was he. He seemed to step even closer to her, she tried to convince herself that this feeling was a rush from the fighting but, she was turned on by him. Jet happened to be one of the hottest guys at school

"Oh? And do you think it's working?" she asked, lowering her voice just the slightest bit. These leather pants were making her feel…seductive.

"I think so, well enough to get you to Sazzarios Friday night with me," Jet said very smoothly.

"Hmm, I'll think about showing up," and then she turned around and strutted away, catching Toph and Aang off guard as they followed her.

But before she was out the door, Jet called, "That's a chance I am willing to take!"

* * *

><p><strong>I WANT THREE REVIEWS BEFORE I POST ANOTHER CHAPTER! THREE, THAT ISN'T EVEN HARD. ALSO, "THAT WAS GOOD." WILL NOT CUT IT. I NEED CRITISM OR ELSE I WILL NOT UPDATE!<strong>

**Thank you to all of my lovely reviewers, so thanks to: xxEchelonAtHeartxx, Milstead1988, Ozuma thy Awesome Vampanatic 8, and i guess Critic, because at least you did review...**

**xxEchelonAtHeartxx: hey thanks so much for the review, about the plot development, i kind of just wrote the whole story and it was REALLY long so after i wrote it i divided it in to chapters so it might start off slow but don't worry, more happens. Also, i am currently writing like chapter 13, but the characters will start to be more interesting in the next few chapters. i just wanted a solid intro to the story. I hate it when fanfics start too early and there is already love then a broken heart then a war all in the first three chapters. Also, i'm only 15 so i don't drink a lot so thanks for the advice. i didn't know to elaborate on the drinking and headaches and stuff but now i do! I really appreciate your review. i have been thinking of getting a beta...this is only my second story though, so i am still a bit new to this(:**

**Critic: Also, some anonymus reviewer reviewed that i copied someone else's work and that is really offensive! I would never copy anyone because i know that as a writer, ideas and stories don't just happen, it takes a lot of hard work so i would never steal someone elses hard work. They say my story is the same as Life is Like a Box of Chocolates, well it isn't. that story talks a lot about suicide and is a lot darker than Love is Messy. And anyway, anonymus reviewer named Critic, i don't know how you would even know that, seeing as i only had 2 chapters up. You also say that my title is almost the same but i don't think it is. And about changing my summary: i would love to hear an actual idea of yours rather than just your complaining! Honestly, some people are sooo rude, at least use you real profile when you try to talk shit about someone. Are you too scared i will know who you are? So please, will you tell me something helpful now, rather than acusing me of ripping someone off? i would love to hear it, i would take your ideas in to account if you were not rude.**


	4. Reminisce a Dying Ember

REMINISCE A DYING EMBER

**I am so freaking sorry that this is late, i honestly am. I just finished my first week of school, if you ask me how it went i will put up chapter 5 early:) I sort of based the whole, Katara and Toph fighting thing off of the Southern Raiders because it is about Katara being no fun and Toph being the fun one. Then Katara changes her mind and they go off and pull a big prank together. Well, since Toph is not an earth bender here, i chose something else for them to do: fight Jet. I know that that might be stupid, but it was all i could think of. And it brings in the storyline of Jet, how Katara really likes him but he turns out to be a phony jerk...foreshadowing**

**Disclaimer here _**

**I want 5 reviews before updating! Can you manage that?**

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Toph texted Katara; '<em>Hey sweetness, we gotta do tht again 2moro;)'<em>

So Katara replied, '_yeah letz kick sum ass baby!'_

However, kick-ass and awesome were not exactly the emotions she was feeling right now, more like sore, and in pain, and ass-kicked. So, she stripped off her now extremely meaningful leather pants and tossed them in her laundry basket, then threw her leather jacket on the bed which was no other color than: blue.

Then Katara got in her nice hot bath tub and soaked for half an hour before she was awoken by Sokka's voice, Katara heard him from downstairs. She realized she'd fallen asleep in the bath water, which was now very chilly, _note to self: quit taking baths when tired…_

When she was in a tired mood like this, she didn't like the person she had become. A fiesty ass-kicker who was kind of a bitch. In moods like this, she just wanted to be Katara, the sweet mother of the group. But that didn't always work. How did she want people to think of her: nice or fierce? She wanted to stop, but it was...fun. it ws fun when she felt the power over someone to beat them up and get to say "hahaha in your face, i won." she knew why she felt like this, but she didn't want to admit it. When her and Sokka's mom died, Katara stepped up and took her position. She was happy to do it, it was just that, she never got to be a kid after that, no more goofing around playing outside, instead, she had stayed inside to cook and wash clothes. With Hakoda out of town so much, she looked after her brother.

So now, she was going crazy, ahving too much fun. It probably was not healthy. But at least she had Toph there with her. She couldn't get TOO out of control... Maybe she should just stop it? But then she would go back to being no fun Katara.

She slipped on her robe and checked her phone; five new text messages and it was 2p.m. _dammit Sokka!_ She creeped down the stairs trying to be quiet, and Sokka's words started to get more distinct, she started to make out her father's voice too. Wow, dad must be home! Her father had been away on business for the past four days. He left a lot.

"Sokka you have taken irresponsibility to a whole new level! This has got to stop-"

"Well maybe if you were here more you could patrol Katara and me more!" she heard a thump that souded like something being thrown or falling.

"Sokka, I am you father and you cannot-"

"No dad, you stopped being my father when you left us and IT happened!" she heard Sokka bang his fist in the table.

"Sokka, when I left I didn't mean for it to happen," her father said helplessly. Then she heard stomping feet and saw her brother coming around the corner.

But when her brother saw Katara his eyes got wide and protective, "Oh hey, I thought you were asleep…"

"I woke up." she put her arms around herself and hugged her body. Her mother used to do the same thing when she was upset.

"Well I'm sorry you had to hear that." Sokka leaned against the wall, putting one hand on Katara's shoulder.

Trying to lighten the mood, Katara said, "So what'd he catch ya doing?"

"It was partially Suki's fault," Sokka muttered. She plucked his dirty hand off of her.

"Eww, it is like they always say: it takes two to tango!"

Once he was up the stairs, she went down.

"Dad?" she called timidly.

"Katara," her father hugged Katara.

"I'm glad you're home." she wiped a tear from one eye.

After a chat with her father, Katara went back up to her room and realized she was not going to be able to sleep after what she'd heard.

"_Sokka, I am you father and you cannot-"_

"_No dad, you stopped being my father when you left us and IT happened!" _

"_Sokka, when I left I didn't mean for it to happen."_

As rude and unjust it was for Sokka to say that, the tiniest part of Katara believed it. Her father had betrayed them in a time of need. What if it happened again? She couldn't stand it if she lost her brother. He was goofy but she loved him.

Katara remembered the day that IT happened as though it were yesterday…

_Katara's dad was leaving for a business trip early that morning and Katara's mom, Kya, was staying with young Katara and Sokka. Katara had just turned nine and Sokka was still ten, his birthday was in a few months. That night everyone was asleep in their beds, when, the alarm went off._

_Katara, being a brave little girl jumped out of bed and ran down the hall to her mother's room, but in the room, she saw a seen unfolding. They both saw a large man standing over their mom. She was only wearing a thin nightgown and she was lying on the floor. He had a gun and it was pointed at her._

_Katara said, "Mom!" Katara's little hand instinctively reached out to her mother._

_Kya looked at the man, "Just let her go and I'll give you what you want."_

_The creapy man looked at little Katara and said, "You heard your mother, GET OUT OF HERE," he yelled. He had piercing small eyes._

"_Mom, I'm scared."_

"_Go find your brother sweetie, I'll handle this," then Kya looked back at the man. Katara met his eyes, hers shining with tears, his cold as ice._

_He stared down Katara as she ran as fast as she could to Sokka's room. He was a heavy sleeper, and somehow the alarm didn't wake him up, but the gunshot did._

It was such a short memory, but in the span of a few minutes, her life had ended. Katara felt tears falling down her face as she remembered the day her mother died- was killed. Then she remembered the date today, it was already mid-May. Her birthday was in a few weeks, on May 24th. The day her mom died was May 30th. Ever since then, her birthday had always been a sad occasion. Almost a decade ago years since the last time she had seen her mom.

All of this sad thinking made Katara really need a drink, but instead she went to Sokka's room and knocked on the door. It wasn't the same room as when her mom was killed, her and Sokka and dad had moved out of the memory ridden house into a new, smaller one.

"Yes?" Her brother opened the door, he was wearing sweats like Katara.

"Hey, can we talk?" She opened the door wider.

"Sure." He gestured for Katara to come in.

Katara sat down on his beanbag and he sat on the bed, she said, "You know, it is almost the end of school." she was hinting around the subject that she and Sokka both so dearly needed closure on.

"Yeah the 24th, hey that is the same as your birthday!" Sokka's eyes lit up.

She gave him, a knowing look. And he said, "Oh my God, I can't believe it has been so long!"

"What is it? Seven or eight years?"

They sat in silence just thinking of their mother. Sokka and Katara reminisced the good times they'd remembered of her all night long.

**READ THIS: in a review will somebody please tell me HOW to make the characters more detailed? Everyone just keeps telling me to DO it but it would be WAY more helpful to elaborate HOW Because i tried to do that in the beginning, with Katara thinking about what kind of person she wants to be...is that what you meant/want, and also everywhere else but did i succeed? Review and tell me if you want more details! ** You must also put specific things you did like and/or things you did not like.****

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><p><strong>Well that sure was sad... I hope to get many more reviews! Hint hint. OMG i was sooooooooooo happy to get 3 reviews in the same day that i uploaded the last chappy! I am seeing a lot of reviews that tell me to put in more detail and describe the characters and environment better so i shall do that. <strong>

**Anyway, i want to thank those of you who have reviewed, you are lovely and helpful and for the most part, nice. Remember: out of a hundred nice reviews, just one mean one can spoil my day;( ****I do not want flames but if you have something negative to say, say it. Don't just tell me to F myself or something, tell me what you don't like and i will honestly try to make it better.**

**Tamsin:**** so, i really appreciate your review, you gave me a lot of help. but i'm sorta new to this so i don't exactly know what doing a line of characters means, but thank you for your help and support. Also, i am going to put in more dramatic cliff-hangers but not that much has happened lately. You rock and please review again!**

**katiecakesxoxox:**** thanks for your reviews. i am happy you like it, also, thanks, because i don't think my story is like Life is like a box of chocolates and i am glad that you don't either**

**Jackiechane100: I like your user name. LOL, i have a friend named Jackie. Thanks for reviewing, i didn't even know that i was going to fast so it is really helpful when people tell me i am. I hope you think i have improved in this chapter! Read on**


	5. Kids Turn the Classroom in to a Zoo

KIDS TURN A CLASSROOM IN TO A ZOO

**Can I get 5 reviews? Please? For early Christamas? Otherwise you will never know what inappropriate things Zuko shows Aang! Ha ha ha you don't know what i am talking about yet. You'll have to read on past this monster sized a/n to find out!**

**Just for the sake of making this a/n longer: here's another long paragraph. (JK) Yay, the chapters are getting longer! Alright, i only wrote this chapter because my algebra teacher failed me. Yeah that's right. I failed math because of that bitch and math is my best subject...i don't deserve this! so i am sort of just letting my anger out through this chapter, because she used to pick on my friend Jefferey, he's is small and nice like Aang, so i was like what the hell, inspiration comes from life right? So i wrote this and i am not completely satisfied with it. I don't know if Katara would actually do this but it is something I wanted to do so whatever... I hate it when people do what i am doing right now: say they don't like the chapter they just wrote. i am always like, "then why did you post it?" but whatever. The next chappy will probably be better but i don't know. If you like this one, tell me**

The next morning, Katara woke up when it was still dark. Once her eyes adjusted, she realized, she was in Sokka's room, on a beanbag.

She realized now, that beanbags were the worst invention ever. It was permanently hiding hr ass and she could barley get up.

She left for her own room but sleep was out of the question, she was wide awake now, remembering how she and Sokka had spent their night. So, since she loved fighting so much, she decided to practice. First she stretched, then started working out, doing sit-ups and pushups, then she went to the attic and found Hakoda's old weights and lifted 20s. It wasn't much weight but she just wanted practice, not hardcore. Also, Katara was very small.

While she worked out she thought about the night before, her short talk with Jet. _Intriguing._ When she'd been fighting, it was like, she was alive. Like an adrenaline high, but better. Feeling power over another person. Being the boss, it made her feel awesome, amazing. She remembered her evil math teacher, how she was always picking on Aang._ Who would want to pick on Aang anyway? _He's adorable, not mention the wisest and caring person Katara had ever met.

_Alright. If that bitch does anything to him I will not hesitate to bitch her out._ Katara had a great feeling now. She felt awesome and very badass. She had a new outlook on life after yesterday night. She decided to live life however she wanted, do whatever, have fun. Because it felt like, ever since mom died she hadn't had very much of that. Fun.

Now Katara couldn't wait until math class today. So she naturally got to school very early. Earlier than usual. And she was met by Toph, who was lounging on the steps outside the school, listening to her iPod.

"Toph, hey when did you get here? You're the first one here," Katara called, walking up.

"Oh hey, yeah I'm always first I got here like twenty minutes ago." This was kind of strange because usually Toph was late or didn't bother showing up most places.

"W-why?"

"'Cuz I hate being at home," she shrugged as though this were normal.

But Katara let it be and told Toph about her new attitude, Toph responded by saying, "That's great, are you gonna go on that date with Jet then?"

She thought about it, "Hmm, would that make my way too super protective older brother mad?" It was all part of the attitude improvment. She used the word improvement loosely.

"Fuck yeah!" Toph threw her hands in the air like of explosion of Tophy goodness.

"Okay then I will, but wait what would Z-never mind…"

"…?" Toph did not know about Katara's THING for Zuko whatever it was.

"Well I don't know."

Then Toph looked away for a moment and yelled, "Aang!"

"Hello ladies," Aang said running up to them.

"Hi Aang," Katara said and hugged him as Aang greeted her and Toph.

"You know I don't like it what you two did last night but-"

"Aang, save it, we can do it all we want," Katara said, getting a little bit frustrated. She was done letting people control her. Done with doing things for others when they didn't even appreciate it. Like Sokka, she washed his dirty socks every week and he never even thanked her!

"No, no, when you go next time, tell me, I want to come." WTF?

"What? But why? You hate fighting?" Toph said standing up.

"Yes well I do, but I want to make sure you're okay," said looking directly at Toph. Which was sweet but weird at the same time. Toph needed protection like a fishs needed a bicycle.

"You're a pussy," said Toph.

By this time, people had started arriving and Zuko saw them and walked up with Mai next to him, that both sat on the steps in front of Katara, Toph, and Aang, "Hello," Mai said in a gloomy voice.

"Hey," Zuko said, avoiding Katara's eyes as she avoided his.

But then Katara remembered her Badass Attitude Change and stood up, looked Zuko directly in the eyes, and said, "This is crazy! Zuko, we are best friends so let's just forget about the stupid Goddamn kiss and move on! I wish it had never even happened since it's putting this much space between us," she yelled and caused a bit of a scene. Her explosion was unneeded but it felt good.

His eyes widened in shock as Zuko stared at her. He thought about what she'd said and felt sad, _so she wishes it never happened, what a blow to my confidence_. But he decided to forget about the whole thing and go back to being madly in love with his best friend.

He smiled a crooked, bad-boy smile that made Katara's heart leap and nodded in an almost seductive way. Something passed through them and for a second Katara thought she saw something in his eyes but he looked away.

Then Sokka and Suki arrived and it was a party, "look," Toph said, "All of our friends are here in the same place. It's a party."

"LOL," Suki said, while holding Sokka's hand.

Zuko gave her a strange look and she said, "What? I text a lot."

"Oh well that's the bell," Sokka said. And everyone stood up, Katara didn't want to but she headed to math.

All during Math, Katara texted Suki who was sitting next to her, only paying attention if the teacher, Ms. Vernon did something snappy. And it was easy, within the first fifteen minutes of an hour long class, she had snapped at Aang.

He raised his hand after she asked a question. Then said the right answer. She looked at him and said, "Oh it would be nice if for once, _Aang_ you weren't an insufferable know-it-all."

So Katara spoke out, "You bitch! Why are you so mean to him, is it 'cuz he corrects you all the time?"

Nobody was expecting that, because Katara was a good girl, but not anymore.

"Excuse me?" THE bitch said. She looked like Katara had just told her that she wanted to eat a big dirty shoe. That is how outraged the entire class looked.

"You heard me," she paused trying to think of something rude to say, "Fatass," that was good. Katara put a proud smirk on her face and waited for the teacher's response.

"Ahh detention!" Ms. Vernon was standing right in front of Katara's seat, her ugly face close to Katara's.

"Yeah, I don't think I'll be going to that but thanks anyway." Katara stood up, thank goodness she was just a little bit taller than the teacher, so she was just as threatening. Katara had never gotten in trouble on purpose so doing something naughty was like a rush.

"Oh I just think all of you students are little rats not worth teaching and not worth my time- Kyoshi, are you videoing this?" she sounded out raged as she saw Suki with her phone out videoing the rant.

"Well…"Suki, given confidence from Katara's audacity smiled and said, "Yes."

Vernon made a noise that sounded like a roar and turned her sharp pointy eyes to where the group of Katara, Aang, and Suki sat and said, "You," Katara thought she was talking to her but instead, "You, _Aang_**,** this is your fault!" She glared at Aang, "My class is in a state of havoc because of you."

If Aang was anything, he was innocent and sweet so when Vernon said, "Aang! Detention!" he looked like he might burst. Not like cry, but like mad, mad and sad and very frustrated.

Then he got mad. And it took a LOT to get Aang mad. But when Aang got mad he got mad. He got smart too. "No, everybody quit talking! No, Ms. Vernon, you have taken this much too far, I'm tired of your abuse!" And he grabbed Katara's hand and stormed out of the room.

"Mr. Sullivan?" Aang said as they ran into the principal's office. He was on the phone, but when his two favorite students came in raging, he quickly hung up and asked in a nice voice,

"What seems to be the problem?" He stuttered slightly upon seeing Aang's face.

And so, after a talk with the principal, he got furious that someone had been mean to his best friend's God-child. (Aang knew a LOT of people. And so did Gyatso.)

Mr. Sullivan had his game face on as he walked fast-paced down the halls, to the Math Hall. Katara and Aang on either side of him, both of them were MAD also. Once there, 'Sully' went straight to Ms. Vernon's classroom, well, it was soon to be her old classroom.

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><p>By lunch, Katara and Aang were famous, everybody knew the great justice they had done for the school by getting rid of Vernon. Also, Suki had put her video on the internet…which already had hundreds of views, with Aang screaming at the evil teacher. Aang was getting a lot of pats on the back and girls were talking to him and Katara a lot. It was really neat.<p>

When Katara and Suki got back from stupid fucking musical theory they went to their usual table and Katara, as usual, sat next to Zuko.

"Hey, good job," Zuko said, kissing her on the cheek.

She giggled, "For what?"

He raised an eyebrow, "For getting rid of that bitch teacher."

"oh it was nothing," she said modestly.

"Nothing? You know what?" he seemed genuinely happy, and if he was, then she was, "Fuck the CoffeeBar, I'm taking you out to dinner tonight, courtesy of my father's credit card."

Her eyes sparkled in delight, and she said in a whisper, "Really?" it was a fairytale. Katara blushed and her tanned skin felt really hot.

"Um yeah... really," he replied, startled by her intensity but he blushed to. They were both happy with going to dinner.

Changing the subject before he changed his mind, she said, "what's going on over there?"

"If I didn't know better I'd say… no that's impossible."

"No? it is!" Katara was shocked and stood up to get a better view.

"Aang, oh he is-" Aang was surrounded by girls, he even had Shinichi Ragota sitting on his lap and she was a junior.

However, just then, Toph also seemed to see the same thing and choke on her chicken wing, and run out of the room, however, Toph didn't see Aang blush then push her off in dignity and stand up, then turn and tell some more people about his Vernon story.

Katara gasped, "Poor Toph," she turned to Zuko who looked sympathetic as well and said, "I'm gonna talk to her." He nodded.

Zuko "parted the red sea" of girls surrounding Aang and whispered something in his ear.

"She what?"

Zuko and Aang left the cafeteria in a rush and Aang started ranting, "I don't know why she is mad at me? I didn't do anything. why are girls so confusing? It's like, whatever I do, she shuts me down, I'm too nice one day, the next day I ignore her, then I annoy her! There is no pleasing-"

"Aang, I think it is time for me to give you a lesson."

"Thanks Zuko, you know, I don't care what everyone else says, you're pretty smart." Aang smiled at his older friend.

Zuko smiled at first, then realized what Aang had said and muttered, "Yeah just go."

"Now?"

"Yes now, you dumbfuck." Getting back at Aang for his earlier comment.

"Oh, okay." Aang put his hands up in a don't get angry way.

They headed to the Drama Wing to see girls.

Aang asked, "Why are we HERE?"

"To see girls, I'm gonna show you how to deal with the confusing opposite sex. And pick up girls."

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><p><strong>WHAT? WHOA! WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? SHABANG! BOO-YAH!<strong>

**This chapter took tedious editing! But i finished, i made it clearer and i added detail (i think). I tried to explain what the characters were doing with their bodies and hands when they were talking. i also tried to make environments more clear, like where are we when we are talking? Anyway please review and tell me if you are satisfied or horrified by the things i've mentioned above.**

**Also, when (not 'if') you review, will someone please tell me if they like the attitude change Katara has taken on? i want to know your opinions, i write this thing for y'all. If you don't, i will chill her out. and make her nicer, like in the show...**


	6. Can't Live With Em Can't Live Without Em

CAN'T LIVE WITH 'EM CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT 'EM

**I am NOT putting up the next chapter without 5 reviews. 5!**

"Look, Toph, Aang is just a stupid boy, she wasn't even on his lap, he-he pushed her off, he didn't even-"

"Katara," Toph sniffled, "I thought, we had a-a g-good thing?" Toph said, in a small, fragile voice, but she thought better of it and corrected herself. "Stupid fuck."

"No, Toph you still do have a good thing."

That seemed to do it; she snapped out of her sadness and hardened, "No. We do not. Next time I see him I'm gonna make it so HE needs a lap to sit in dammit!"

"No Toph, you're making a mistake," _And no sense_, Katara added silently as she tried to calm down and help her unruly friend.

"Fuck mistakes, fuck him, don't tell me what to do," Toph yelled and stalked off, obviously looking for Aang.

She was running after her when something shot out and she was face first on the ground. Looking up and swiping her hair from her eyes she realized that it was one of those girls she had taken down the night before.

"Yeah, that's _right_."

Confused, Katara hopped up, "Oh, you want a rematch?"

The girl ignored her, "I know you've been strutting around flaunting that Vernon thing, you attention whore, I see right through you."

Katara was a bit stunned and didn't know what to say, "Who the fuck are you?"

"Me? I am Sazuki."

"Well…bye."

And with that Katara left the girl standing there. She didn't feel like she should have taken what Sazuki had said to heart, so she didn't and ignored it.

She ran down the hall until she found Zuko staring at Aang and Toph in a shouting match.

Toph was yelling most furiously. "How could you do that, I really thought we had - !"

Aang cut her off and said, "Really? Because I never knew how you felt, since you're so damn shady!"

"Yeah, what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you don't get enough attention from your parents, so now you keep all of your feelings inside!"

"At least I _have _pa - " Toph stopped herself, immediately knowing that she'd gone too far. Aang technically did have parents, but when he was born they hadn't wanted him. They had given him up for his Godfather.

Aang looked exhausted and slid down against the wall and to the floor, "Toph, I'm sorry."

"No, no, no, no I should be apologizing to you. Why are you so nice all the time? Dammit," She said in frustration, banging her fist on a locker.

"So you want me to bully you?" He asked then muttered, "There's only room for one bully in this relationship."

"Aang, I-I'm sorry, I know I bully you, but it is my way of showing..affection." Toph blanched.

They went on talking as Zuko and Katara walked away together, smiling. The bell had rung a long time ago but nobody cared. Katara's Badass Attitude Change (or BAC as she had dubbed it) was keeping her from going to Spanish or whatever the hell she had this hour. It also, happened that Zuko and Katara had the rest of their afternoon schedule together.

During Spanish, they sat together.

"What the fuck are we doing here?" Zuko whispered. Katara and Zuko were in the very back towards the left side of the room and Mr. Gomez was rambling on and on about Spanish grammar.

"What do you mean?"

"Are we really taking anything out of this class?"

"Well no, it is so damn boring."

"Exactly," Zuko said.

Before Zuko could say anything else though, Katara tossed her books in her bag and threw the bag over her shoulder and said, "Senior Gomez, voy a ir al baño."

"Si Katara."

When she left, Zuko awkwardly stood up to and said, "Uh, me too."

Mr. Gomez looked suspicious but let Zuko leave anyways. When Zuko got in to the hall, he saw Katara waiting for him, grinning. "Really Zuko? '_Me too' ? __That_'s the best you could come up with?"

"You know what? Let's just go," Zuko said, bitingly sarcastic.

Since this was last period, they really weren't missing much. Katara had taken her car today so sadly, instead of riding with Zuko on his kickass motorcycle, she drove her car.

They went to CoffeBar, for lack of better things to do, but when Zuko and Katara walked into their favorite coffee shop, they were greeted with an unusual sight. Katara didn't know if somebody had drove them or if they'd walked there, but Aang and Toph were sitting in a booth in the very back. As they walked in, Katara saw Aang whisper something in Toph's ear, she laughed for half a second and kissed him. And then they just kept kissing.

"Should we sit with them?" Katara asked Zuko, knowing he knew who she was talking about.

"Eh, what the hell," he replied, shrugging, and they went to Toph and Aang's table.

They'd stopped kissing and were just talking when Toph looked up and said, "Wow, look who has skipped school for two days in a row.

Katara tilted her head and looked at Zuko, "You know, I only seem to do bad things when I am around you…"

"That's just the way I like it," he said in a cocky way and put his arm around her.

"Oh knock it off you asshole," Katara said, shrugging Zuko off in a playful manner, smiling.

Katara and Zuko slid into the booth across the table from the other couple. An awkward silence was approaching when Toph started cracking her knuckles.

"Toph don't do that, it is bad for you."

"What are you, my mom? Don't tell me what to do," Toph said and went on popping her fingers.

"I only want the best for you…" Aang said softly.

Toph punched him on the shoulder but held his hand under the table.

"So, um…Aang, did we have any math homework?"

Aang just laughed and shook his head. Then Toph picked up the conversation and said, "So, I heard you two have a _date_ tonight?" Toph waggled her eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

Katara said, "We do not, we're just two friends going to a fancy dinner on a Tuesday night."

"Wow, uh, that does sound like a date," Zuko said scratching his head. He always did that when he was deliberating.

"Well if it sounds like a date, then it's a date!" Toph said, then leaned on Aang.

"Yeah? Well, what about _you?_ You and Aang have dates all the time," Katara teased.

"We do not!" Toph and Aang said at the same time.

Katara fake grasped and exclaimed, "Do I smell guilt? Toph you better get a new man if you and Aang are _that_ ashamed!"

"We are not ashamed, we just don't go on dates," Aang said, still holding Toph's hand under the table.

"Yeah, that must be why you're holding each others hands under the table, thinking we can't see?" Zuko smirked.

They both blushed and immediately separated hands under the table, mumbling, "We don't go on dates."

"Yeah? And neither do we," Zuko said.

"Besides, Zuko likes Mai!" Toph said.

"Let's talk about something else," Katara said, miffed Toph had said that. He did not.

"_Hey_, I am just saying" Toph asked.

"I do not, she's my ex, and we hung out like once the other day."

Katara's face fell a little.

Aang said, "I wonder who the new math teacher'll be?"

"Hmm? Maybe Mrs. Jin will just stay," Katara said, referring to the substitute.

"No, she's too stupid," Toph said looking down.

"Toph, who are you texting?" Zuko raised an eyebrow.

Then Katara's phone buzzed and she then knew who Toph had texted, and she rolled her eyes, reading the text. _R we still on 4 2nite?_

Katara slightly responded, _of course._

Then Toph replied back instantly, _after dinner with your man ;))_

"He is NOT my man!" Katara yelled, forgetting to text it. Zuko and Aang, who had been carrying on a conversation without the girls, both jumped and stared at Katara, knowing who she was talking about.

"Geez, no one said he was Katara," Aang said, the voice of reason.

"Oh, you have no idea," She replied, _how much I really want it to be true. _But she didn't say the last part; instead, Katara looked at her phone, glared at Toph, then exclaimed, "Shit, it is 5 o'clock, we gotta go."

"5? I am late for driver's ED! Crap, your gramps is gonna kill me, Katara," Toph said and ran out the door.

"Aang, do you need a ride home?" Katara asked.

"No I am in drivers ED with Toph," he said, Katara gave him a strange look. Aang was _never _late, he shook his head and laughed, "No, our drivers ED starts at 5:30."

Zuko laughed. And then the gang slowly dispersed.

As Katara drove home she thought about her friends. Aang and Toph were _so _cute together, and they balanced each other out in the best ways. Toph was raucous and sassy, and downright dangerous; while Aang was peaceful and calming and _so_ sweet.

Sokka and Suki were also really cute together, they really loved each other too. Katara knew that they were…intimate, and really couldn't understand why he was so protective of her. But she played it off on love.

Thinking of Sokka, and him being protective made her think of Zuko, which made her confused. Were they friends? Or were they more? They had been awkward towards the end, but then again, they _were_having a date that night.

Katara shook her head and decided to wait it out to the best of her ability.

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><p><strong>P.S. for any of you who looked up what Katara said in Spanish, i commend you. For the rest of you, it means 'can i go to the bathroom?' Cool huh?<strong>

**R&R or else**


	7. Young and Crazy in Love

YOUNG AND CRAZY IN LOVE

**Aww that last chapter was kind of cute and fluffy. But hey, they cannot all be full of action packed drama like this will be. It is ALL about Taangy goodness! Sorry this is short but you Taang-ers will love it, this shows a really different side of Aang.**

"Toph! Come back!" Aang felt like a complete idiot yelling down the street but he really needed to get his overly sporadic girlfriend's attention.

He could still see her running. Then she turned around and said, "Hurry do you wanna be—"

"Toph it doesn't start for twenty minutes!"

"W-what?"

"Yes, we are NOT late, gosh I wish you'd think things through," Aang put his hands on his head and leaned it back like he always did when he was frustrated.

"Me? What did you say?"

"Yes! I wish you would-pay attention to something other than yourself," he said.

People were starting to look at the two kids fighting in the street but Toph still yelled, "Yeah, I don't think so! And I also don't think I'll be coming over tonight!"

"Good"

"Fine"

Then Aang started walking toward the school for Drivers ED. Leaving Toph to stare after him in regret. She had too much pride to admit he was right, but she also didn't want to. Though, a part of her knew that he did want the best for her and he probably was right. _Yeah, but I really like him and he is the only person who cares about me and I don't want to screw this up. Okay, I will just talk to him in class._ Toph always felt better when she had a plan. Of course she knew he was not the ONLY person who cared about her, she had Katara and her friends, but she'd never felt like this for other boys and she knew he hadn't either.

Now more confident, she started for the school. However, when she got there, she didn't see Aang, but that didn't matter because they were in the same car. He would have to talk to her. But as the night progressed on, she never found an opportunity. Either he was driving, or she was driving, or there was some one next to them, making it awkward.

But then, finally, Cho was driving and Aang and Toph were both in the backseat. Cho was doing a terrible job so there was a lot of noise in the front so neither her, nor the Mr. Pakku would hear Toph.

So, she started, "Um hey," she was nervous.

"Hi," he still sounded mad.

She swallowed and said, "So, I am… I-I'm sorry," there she'd said it.

She looked away, but then Aang grabbed her hand and smiled. She looked at him and Aang said, "Thanks Toph."

Aang kissed her on the cheek and then she knew all was fine.

After a long and tedious class, Aang and Toph walked down the street hand-in-hand, striding down to the Bar where Katara and Toph had fun fighting Jet's crew the night before. Toph ordered whisky and Aang got a Coke.

Toph looked at her sort of boyfriend and said, "Really, we are at a bar and you aren't going to get a drink?"

"I have a drink."

"That isn't the kind of drink I was talking about," she said with a straight face, frowning.

"Fine, hey," Aang called to the bartender and order a fifth of Vodka.

They talked for a while then Toph convinced Aang to have a drinking contest. She knew he had a low tolerancy so she was or sure to win. And it would be fun to see Aang lose some of his self-control and have fun.

Mixed with the Vodka he'd just had, Aang agreed and he and Toph both ordered two shots each. After those two, two more came and Aang could barely stay in his seat.

"Another for him and me," Toph asked the bartender and he said,

"Wow you two are really packin' 'em away." The bartender said, impressed.

Aang started laughing and fell off his stool, flat on his back, Aang looked up at Toph and said, "Woah! Woah, Toph, Tophy, Tophy-Toph, how did you—how did you get so. Like. Tall?"

And then Toph started cackling, "Aang, I-I-I'm not tall! It's you!"

They both laughed and laughed. By the time they got back to Toph's almost empty house, it was almost 9 o'clock. They had gone to her house instead of his because his Gyatso would not approve of Aang's drunken state.

"Hey, um, Toph you-you know how in like your uh house you have a big…um staircase?"

"Wait what?"

"A um a stair uh," they were both wondering around her huge house and Aang flopped down on the couch and said, "what was i- oh yeah! Hahaha! We should uh, matress surf!"

"Like on the uh what are they called? The stairs?"

"Isn't that like-WOW!"

"Yeah."

So they went to Toph's room and Aang said, "Why are we here?"

And Toph said, "The um mattress."

And Aang said, "Oh yeah…where do you think it is?"

"What?"

"The –the oh yeah! The mattress!"

"Oh right! Um… oh! The bed," Toph said.

"Yeah yeah."

So they took Toph's mattress and placed it at the top of the stairs, Aang said, "Hey, we're at like, the _toph_ of the stairs!"

Toph thought that that was so funny that she rolled on the floor laughing. That made Aang laugh also and in a few minutes they both got up and Aang said, "What are we doing?"

"Uh…?"

"Oh yeah!" Aang exclaimed, "we're uh gonna uh do mattress –surfing!"

"Yeah, yeah!"

"O –okay, you get on first and…uh I uh will whoosh!"

As Aang pushed off on the first step, the mattress sailed down the stairs, with him and Toph laying on their stomachs thumping down the huge royal staircase. And that is how the rest of Toph and Aang's night went, mattress surfing, making out, playing hide and seek, being "spy detectives" and scaring the house staff (the few that stayed that late, like live-in maids), and wrapping the neighbor's house in toilet paper.

After the mattress surfing, Toph ran away yelling, "Catch me if you can!"

So, Aang counted to twenty and ran all around the huge house until he cornered Toph in a closet on the top floor. They stared at each other a moment and then he tackled her, still being gentle, and they both fell to the ground and started kissing. They went further than usual in their drunken state and Aang shirt came off, so did Toph's, though she was wearing a white tank top. Aang's hands didn't just stay on her waist, but traveled downward, until they were both flushed and out of breath.

Toph sat on Aang's lap and said, "We should be spies!"

"Baby, you're a genius!"

So that led to more running around the house and scaring people and doing other crazy shit, which led to wrapping the house next door which led to more making out. Which made both drunken Toph and drunken Aang ever so happy. And they continued their shenanigans all night long.

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><p><strong>i want 6 reviews otherwise<span> i will NOT post<span>**

**Press the button**


	8. Life is a Bitch

LIFE IS A BITCH

Meanwhile, Katara was also having a great night on her unofficial date with Zuko. He picked her up in an expensive sports car, which was dark blue and happened to match her dress. The dress was also dark blue, though, it had a plunging neck line and it was cut-off right below her knees. Zuko also looked dashing in a smart suit with a thin red tie and otherwise completely black.

They talked mindlessly on the drive to the restaurant, a fancy one Katara had never been to called, 'The Resutorian'. Zuko got them a table in the back of the room with a beautiful New Orleans view.

"So, I was going to tell you about why I moved out wasn't I," Zuko said as his steak came and Katara's fish came.

"That was the plan," Katara said making her face indifferent and unreadable.

"Well," Zuko started the painful story, "when I was thirteen, my dad kicked me out of the house for interrupting a business meeting of his and he lost an important merger with some other company. So, I lived with my uncle for three years, he and Lu Ten are really great to me-" Katara did not ask who Lu Ten was, "-and then my sister said that she was sorry and that I should come back home-"

"Wait," Katara interrupted astounded, "Azula said that?"

"She can be nice sometimes, anyway, I went back to live with them last year but my father was…pretty bad, as bad as ever. Also, it really doesn't help that he favors Azula, it gives her a hot head."

"I bet it does."

"Well I got really fed up with how much a an asshole my dad was and left again, except, since I am not eighteen, I can't really do that, so his bullshit lawyer self is holding a fucking trial and I might go home"

He seemed outraged, but so was Katara, so she asked, "But why does he want you home?" he gave her a look and she explained, "No offense but if he favors Azula and is that much of a jerk, why?"

"It's complicated,"

Katara laid her hand over his and said, "Then tell me about it anyways."

"Well, he and Toph's parents own a law firm and since it is family owned, he needs me to take it over one day," Zuko snorted, "Like I'd ever even consider that shit."

"Oh, wow…what a jerk!"

Zuko smiled a sad smile that said, I've-known-for-years.

As the non-date progressed Katara found herself leaning over the table more and more immersed in Zuko. Also, she was thrilled to find Zuko noticing he doing the exact same thing until they were ust inches apart.

Zuko continued his story, "And then," his voice was very deep now, husky. He swallowed and said, "And then…"

Katara's voice was low too, "And then…what?"

And they leaned forward those last two inches and then…both of them stopped. Katara was too nervous that Zuko didn't like her back. But Zuko happened to be feeling the exact same things. Then, they just stared at each other, both blushing. Then Katara felt a wave of confidence and leaned forward, closing her eyes. Zuko was shocked for just a moment then he leaned in to the kiss.

Zuko got the check right after that and they ran out to the beach and both sat down, ruining their nice outfits. Soon, Katara moved to Zuko's lap and they kissed again and again, each time staying longer and longer. Until Zuko spoke up, "Katara…"

"Oh God," she could tell what was coming was bad.

"I –I –I am kinda _with_ Mai. This is…wrong."

"How dare you Zuko, how could you go on a date—"she couldn't even finish her thought because she was so mad, "_Wrong?_ Zuko what do you think I am? Am I sooo wrong that you can't even stand me?" Katara had tears in her eyes she was mad and sad and confused. She didn't even know what she was saying. First they are kissing and having a great time THEN he tells her he has a girlfriend and that she's WRONG. She was not the kind of girl who made guys cheat, but he was treating her like a slut he could kiss then just leave. He was playing with her. Did he know that she liked him and he was just doing this to get some action then leave her for Mai?

"Dammit Zuko, you –you –you whore!" And then she ran away, as fast as she could. She didn't even look at Zuko yet somehow she knew that he was still sitting there on the beach that had now become a night mare.

Now, she really hadn't thought thing out. She ran away, which she should have done, except now she was far away from home and in high heels and her makeup was smeared all over her face due to her tears. Suki's house was the closest to where she was and she decided to call Suki, until she realized she had left her purse there. This put her in an even worse position, because now she could either walk two and a half miles or go back and see Zuko. _You know what,_ Katara thought, _I'm in good shape._ And so she started walking.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Katara arrived at Suki's house a long time later. She had no idea what time it was though, she must have spent a few hours at the damn restaurant, and then walking took forever. So when Suki opened the door, Katara was a complete mess.

"Oh, honey, tell me what happened!"

So, Katara told her everything, all about her night, Suki knew that Katara had liked Zuko for a while, which made it all the more awful and painful.

"And so I didn't know where else to go," Katara finished.

Suki gave her sympathies and made them each a big cup of hot chocolate and let Katara cry and ruin the shoulder of Suki's tee shirt.

"Katara how about you spend the night here? I'll tell Sokka."

"Wait Suki? Don't tell him why," Katara said. She didn't want her brother to go pick a fight with Zuko and she also didn't want Sokka to worry about her.


	9. That's Not a Bald Spot

THAT'S NOT A BALD SPOT, IT'S A SOLAR PANEL FOR A SEX MACHINE

**Best. Title. Ever. Also, on a totally unrelated note, my computer crashed so after chapter 13 is up i will be on hiatus getting it fixed...ALL of my work on this story after that point (6 chapters of work and planning) is gone. Don't fear, we still have a few more chappies til then and i have SOOOOO much planned it is fucking crazy as shit! So...**

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><p>Katara stayed the night at Suki's house and woke up with puffy eyes and a headache. However, she was not the only one waking up like this, Aang woke on Wednesday morning to find that his head literally felt like it might explode, the worst part though, was that he was still drunkish from the night before.<p>

When he and Toph woke up, they were much underdressed. Aang only had on his cargo shorts and boxers from the night before, and strangely, Toph was wearing bikini bottoms and her tank top (with a bra of course). However, the worst part was how they had fallen asleep. Every mattress on the second floor of the house had been piled in to a fort looking structure in the den with Toph and Aang inside and there were beer bottles everywhere, drunken and finished can littered the floor. They fell asleep with Aang and Toph facing each other, with their knees bent, so that if you looked at them from above, the shape their (not touching) bodies resembled a heart. Aang woke with his arms around Toph, he yawned and when he opened his eyes, Toph was looking at him.

"Oh my God, what did we DO last night?" Toph asked.

"Ahh my head, I can't even remember anything after 7 o'clock," Aang winced at the noise of them talking.

It was very dark in the fort and Toph scooted just a little bit closer to Aang and he moed just a little bit closer to her. Their eyes met and Toph said, "I did the unthinkable," Aang gasped, "No not that," she said quietly, "I got you to lighten up," Toph said with a smile.

Aang smiled back and they kissed. Still laying down, they wrapped their arms around each other. Aang had his arms around Toph's waist and Toph had her arms around Aang's neck. They weren't trying to be…inappropriate, they just, kissed. It was sweet, not intense. They stayed cuddled up together for a few more minutes then Aang gasped and said, "Shit! School! Gyatso!"

Tophs eyes widened comically and she said, "Fuck!"

They both hopped up, but Aang fell down again, due to his drunkenness. That caused Toph to giggle and Aang to say, "That's not funny," but he started tickling her and she kept laughing until she fell on him.

"Do we HAVE to go to school?" Toph whined.

Aang didn't think he'd do much good in school today anyway, but then again. "Well…I don't know…"

"Oh yes!" Toph said very excited.

"Ahh my head, well, maybe we could go after lunch. What time is it?"

They scavenged the whole house looking for their cell phones and Aang's clothes. And as they wandered around the house, they saw the extent of the wreckage they'd caused the night before. It was not pretty.

"Holy fuck, look at my house!" Except Toph sounded happy, astounded even.

"We're in deep shit trouble," Aang said.

"No, the maids'll clean it up, my parents won't even know."

And then Aang felt the full effects of his drinking and said 'excuse me' and sprinted to the bathroom. He puked twice and then Toph walked in looking sympathetic and handed him toothe paste and a tooth brush.

"Thanks," he muttered, feeling very weak.

After extensive brushing, Aang left the bathroom. He didn't see Toph so he assumed she was in her room and headed up to the second floor of the three story mansion and knocked on the door.

Toph said, "Aang?"

And he said, "Can I come in?"

"Yeah," Toph told him.

Aang opened the door to see Toph sitting on the bed in a change of clothes, shorts and another tank top.

"Hey."

"Aang?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm bored."

"Oh, well what do you want to do?"

She didn't know why but for some reason, Toph was in a mushy mood. She felt like being extra nice today. She didn't know if it was because of the awesome night before or if it was just Aang's presence. But she liked it, sometimes it was fun not to be such a hardass.

When Toph answered, Aang looked kind of surprised, "Let's go back to our 'fort'." Toph put more emphasis on 'our'.

Aang looked a little hesitant but said, "Sure."

So Toph hopped off the bed and grabbed her sort of boyfriend's hand and led him slowly up the stairs and into the den, when they sat down, Toph sat extra close to Aang and looked him dead in the eyes and said, "Let's play," she paused, allowing him to blush, "Never Have I Ever."

He stuttered for a moment and said, "Uh, um, what's," he swallowed, "that?"

"I'll demonstrate, never have I ever, had sex, if you have, you must take off an item of clothing."

Aang was squirming when he said, "Never have I ever, failed a test."

Toph took off her bracelet, "Never have I ever, done something illegal."

"What about drinking?"

"Doesn't count."

"Never have I ever, been in love," Aang's eyes widened impossibly more as Toph took off her shirt, leaving her in a bra. But what really threw him off was that she kept staring at him.

His heart swelled to his chest and he said, "M –me?"

She nodded and he tore off his shirt and kissed her. He didn't even care that this was wildly inappropriate because of her lack of shirt.

When Toph broke off, she asked, "Why did you take off your shirt?" she had tears in her eyes that she was pretty sure were happy tears.

"You," he said proudly, "I love you."

She gasped and said, "I love you too!"

Then they kissed again. And then Toph said, "Never have I ever skipped school."

Aang took his shorts from the day before off; he and Katara had skipped once or twice. However, this left him in only his red boxers, which made it hard for Toph to focus on the game as she kept running her hands over his chest.

Aang said, "Never, um, OH! N –never have I –ahh, never have I ever," Aang could barely get words out with Toph being like this, "Kissed a boy."

Slowly, Toph stood up without breaking eye contact and slid her shorts down, now Aang was in JUST his boxers and Toph was only wearing her green and black bra and panties.

Finally Toph said, "Never have I ever," Paused, "Not been in honors classes!"

Aang looked at her, knowing what she had just done…


	10. Separate the Men from the Boys

SEPARATE THE MEN FROM THE BOYS

_**READ THIS!**_

**Alright, this would have been in between chapters: "Thats not a bald spot" and "reprocussions" IT WOULD BE CH10! I didn't put it in because i wasn't as pleased with it and it kind of bored me, ya know. But now here it is!**

**It picks up exactly where everything left off and stuff. BTW**

**DELETED CHAPTER:**

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><p>A few hours after school, Katara texted Toph; <em>hey lets hang out<em>

Toph replied: _I cant im with aang_

So Katara said: _then ditch him _

Toph_: no_

Katara: _Then bring him_

Toph: _fine ill ditch him u bitch_

Katara: _good_

Toph: _Pick me up im at aangs house_

Katara did as she was told and found an odd sight, Toph and Aang sitting in the long swinging chair together, with Aang sitting normally and Toph's bent lefts in his lap. Also, Aang wasn't wearing a shirt, he had muscles and all but it was still a bit weird for him to not have a shirt, usually he was more conservative.

When Katara got out of her car, she saw just how strict he still was, Toph leaned up to kiss him but he turned his head and instead kissed HER on the cheek, saying, "That's rude, we've got company."

Toph whacked him on the shoulder and both girls rolled their eyes. Then Topht hought of a way to aggravate her boyfriend and her eyes shined with mischief. Toph loved aggravating Aang, it was like the way she flirted, just like punching was her way of showing affection, "Aang, we're going fighting," she said.

"Good, I hope you do well," he crossed his arms.

"Oh yeah, I might get a few injuries but who the fuck cares because it doesn't matter if I break my leg!"

_If she is playing hardball, then so am I,_ Aang thought. "That's fine with me, you won't be able to get up the stairs to your _second floor den_." Katara got confused.

Toph was shocked and appalled after his last comment so she said, "Yeah and I also might lose my flexibility…"

Aang's eyes widened and he glared at her, _"That's bad for you too you know."_

Katara said, "Okay what is going on? Of course Toph breaking her leg is bad for HER."

Toph interrupted with a comment that was so off topic it was amazing, "Hey remember a few days ago when I told you and he-who-must-not-be-named that me and Aang went to Ember Woods?"

"Are you talking about Zuko?" Aang asked.

"Yeah dumbshit we're talking about Zuko, anyway, remember?"

"I guess…"

"Well, we wanna show you what it was!"

"Was it a haunted house?" Katara asked, jaded.

"Maybe…or maybe not…" Toph tried to sound mysterious. Because of her confident, unabashed air, she pulled it off.

"Fine, let's go," Katara said, trying and failing to get her self excited for the night's upcoming events.

The last time she had been here had been a disaster; she was with Toph, Sokka, Aang, and Aang's two dogs. But then Aang and Appa had gotten lost and then Sokka ate some funky mushrooms or berries or something, so he was loopy and sick and Aang was lost. It was a bad experience overall. They didn't find Appa until a week later. Aang had been freaking out. However, that was two years ago, now they were all, hopefully, more mature.

But that hope was squashed when Sokka picked something up and put it in his bag, he was obviously trying to be discreet but it was not working, Katara had to speak out about this, "Sokka! DO NOT PICK THINGS UP OFF THE GROUND AND KEEP/ EAT/ USE THEM," she yelled at her brother.

"Dammit Katara, don't embarrass me!"

"Sokka, you embarrass your_self_," Katara said, making the whole group laugh.

Sokka huffed away and, taking this quiet as her queue, Toph said, "Okay, we found something here and it is neat, so, we, me and Aang, are taking you guys there."

"Neat?" Suki asked.

"Yeah who says that?" Sokka asked.

"Hmph, _I_ do," Toph said, standing close to Aang.

Aang tried to put his arm around Toph and somehow he managed. She surprisingly didn't elbow, or, punch, or impale, or attack him in any way, not even an obnoxious, rude comment. On anyone else she would've given sass and a beating…

"Toph, you seem… different…" Suki beat Katara to it.

"Yeah you do… you don't beat up on Aang anymore…" Katara agreed.

"That's ridiculous!" Toph and Aang both blushed furiously and stepped away from each other just a little bit.

"No, you guys are acting weird," Sokka said curiously.

"It's like you guys are in love or something…OH MY GOD YOU ARE IN LOVE," Katara realized.

"Holy shit, Toph in love?" Sokka said, "dude, that's why she doesn't beat you up so much anymore."

Aang shrugged indifferently, looking at her. But Toph said, "We are not, and so what if we…were?"

"Nothing! But it's so cute," Katara and Suki squeaked.

"Shut up," Toph muttered but Aang smiled.

But then, to both Aang and Tpoph's horror, Katara said, "No, it's something else, like they move in sync… _HOLY FUCK-SHIT-GOD-DAMN! You did not!"_

Katara's eyes widened hugely and then Suki gasped and both just gawked, "Aang how could YOU do this, what the hell, you're only fifteen, that is so irresponsible, were you safe? Toph I cannot believe—"

"—Katara give it a rest, we were fine—"

"Wait, did they have, like, sex?" Sokka asked.

"YES," Suki said, then she got a mysterious look, "You did the crime, now pay the time," she said with a smile.

Aang frowned and Toph said, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you have to tell us all how it happened!" Katara finished Suki's thought.

"Well he put his cock in my—"

"NO, Toph not like that!" they all screamed while Aang reached a new level of red and was soo embarrassed.

"Goddammit."

But Aang took over, "Well we were at her house that night you were with…Zuko…and we both got drunk and had sex, the end."

"Nope that's not gonna cut it buster," Sokka said.

"Yeah we want details."

"Since when do you get drunk Aang?"

"Well we were at that great, creepy bar and Toph dared me in to a drinking completion and—"

"Of course."

" –I got really, really drunk and so did she and we went back to her house and did all this crazy shit and made a fort in her den—"

"Oh my, is that what you were both laughing at?" Katara asked.

Toph giggled and nodded, then took over the story, "And when we woke up the next morning—"

"Wait, what about the sex?"

"Oh that comes later," Aang winked.

"Ooh, kinky morning sex…" Suki said looking at Sokka.

"Whoa too much information!" Katara said.

"Any way," Toph said, "We woke up the next morning and we were totally fucked up, Aang was out of his mind, and so we um, played Never Have I Ever," Katara interrupted again.

"Oh Toph!"

"Who's idea was that?" Sokka asked.

Toph blushed and Aang smiled imperceptibly.

Katara gasped and Toph continued, "So uh then we were uh playing and uh, he –he said, what's that and I said, 'I'll show you' and then…Aang why don't you take it from here?" though it wasn't really a question.

"Oh you were doing such a good job –OW, fine. So then uh T –toph said, 'never have I ever had sex' and I said 'never have I ever failed a test' and um Toph took something off—"

"What?"

"A bracelette you pervs," Toph said.

"So then she um said um nothing illegal, and I said 'not even drinking, and then she said that it didn't count and so I said—"

Sokka interrupted, "Aang, you're purposefully dragging out the story!"

"Fine then you tell US about YOUR first time!"

"With pleasure…after you friend."

Aang sighed but Toph said, "It was just getting interesting…"

"Yeah, so then," Aang continued, "And uh um then we said some uh stuff and then we were both almost uh n –n –n naked and—"

"Wait, WHAT did you say?" Suki asked suspiciously.

Toph said, "Nothing much, it was mostly about –the weather."

"No. No, I think you said something important and that's why you had sex, 'cuz Aangy would never do IT for no reason," Katara said smiling.

"Well you are wrong, like Aang said," Toph unconsciously put a little imphasis on 'Aang', "we talked about the homework," just a second to late, Toph realized her mistake and muttered 'shit'.

"What was it? What did you say?" Suki asked impatiently but both Toph and Aang's lips were chaste.

Oh yeah, I'll get it out of them," Katara said. She walked in front of Aang and stared at him, right in his face, then she put her hands on either side of his face, they were inches apart, so close, that it looked like she was about to kiss him.

Then Katara said in a calm voice, "Aang what was it?"

"Uh, um that we uh l –l –l –l –love…cake?"

"Katara smiled, she knew that Aang couldn't lie, that he had said 'cake' instead of 'each other'.

"Oh that is so cute!" Suki said.

Toph just glared at Aang and called him a traitor. He begged for forgivness but she just looked away.

Katara said, "Wow so you really sealed the deal Aang. Now get on with the story."

"Well um, at that time we were both really undressed and Toph said 'never have I ever played never have it ever or something' and I took off my b—"

"No." Toph looked mad, "That isn't what I said."

"W –what?"

"You don't even remember?" she looked furious.

Which made Aang confused therefore furious too, "What the hell Toph, why are you so freaking mad?"

"Oh I don't know? Maybe because you forgot our first time!"

"I did not! i was drunk and you're just being touchy."

"Oh yeah, then this 'touchy' wreck is dumping your ass!"

"I'm glad, because you weren't even good!" that struck a nerve.

Toph looked shocked and offended at this and tried to lunge at Aang, luckily, Sokka was behind her and grabbed her waist, Suki also had to hold her and restrain her limbs.

Aang shot her a glare. It was super weird seeing Aang so mad.


	11. Author's Note Bitches Preview

Author's note!

So i fixed my computer, i was so fucking over joyed that all of my work was not lost because i had up to chapter 19 written and edited. However, i fixed my computer and then wrote a few more chapters.

okay, so usually i hate these thing but i am so excited that i just had to tell you! i am going to upload one a week ish until i get to winter break where i will take a few weeks break from the story but it will be continued once i start school again. That was some good information but what i really am excited about is that i finished writing the story! Yes, i have around 21 chapters (like the show) and it has SO much drama! We have sexual tension between Zutara, crazy bad shit going down with Taang, and love between Sukka... Sukka isn't very drama filled. Anyway, it is crazy and you're going to hate me for this but there is one big mother-fucker of a cliffhanger. LOL

**Also, if you don't review the chapters i will NOT put anymore up. If i do not have 2/3 reviews per chapter i do not upload. **

**So, since i made you sit through reading this note i will give you a preview of the next chapter!**

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><p>Today was a bad day for Toph, who knew that your loss of virginity was suddenly EVERYONE'S business? Not her. Honestly, kids have sex all of the time, she really didn't see the big deal. Boy would her friends be mad when she told them. Katara was yelling at her for getting Aang drunk, she didn't even know about the sex yet...<p>

"Oh my God! Toph? How could you let this happen? You are a terrible influence! Aang was the good, pure one of the group!" Katara had just found out some interesting things that she was not too happy about.

"Oh uh that's gone too…" Toph said even more sheepishly. She snorted, 'purity'. LOL

"What. Do. You. Mean?" Katara was a kind of nervous mad.

"Katara, don't you think you are taking this a little too seriously?" Zuko said, Katara knew the conversation wasn't actually about Aang and Toph, they were talking now about her and Zuko.

"No! I am not; some people have to be responsible we can't all do whatever the hell we want whenever the fuck we want to!" Katara said back standing up.

Zuko stood up too, "Well it isn't their fault!"

"Yeah? Then whose is it? Were you cheating on Mai or on me?" Somehow this had turned in to a Zuko/Katara fight, not a Oh-My-God-Aang-and-Toph-what? kind of fight.

"Neither!"

"UGH, you're impossible!" she ran out with tears in her eyes, Zuko followed her, running out the doors. But right when he stepped out something tripped him. He looked up to see –"Godammit, Azula, I don't have time for you!"

"So what did you do to this one? What, did you fuck her and never call back? Our family seems to do that a lot, especially you."

"I do NOT."

"Oh Zuzu, when will you learn?"

"Azula, I say this with all of the brotherly love I feel for you; Fuck. Off."

* * *

><p><strong>BOOM. i LOLed! More drama will come foshizz!<strong>


	12. Reprocussians

REPROCUSSIONS: ALLS NOT FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR AND THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE AREN'T FREE

**In chapter 9 i hope of you understood that they had sex... he didn't take his pants off for no reason. What a depressing title... this is a fucking good chapter and i love, especially the end, LMAO**

**ALSO, I AM LOOKING FOR A NEW BETA, IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED, GIVE ME A PM OR REVIEW OR WHATEVS, it isn't urgent, i just want one to check for errors and shit like that.**

**OMG Gilad Shalit is home! That was probably a really controversial thing to say but hey all im sayin to you haterz in: empathy. without it, all you got is karma**

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><p>Katara had been dreading lunch, but time has a way of speeding when you don't want it to and it felt like she had only been in school for ten minutes except for Zuko's two calls and six texts. Now it was one minute before the bell would ring and she missed Aang in math class. She had also noticed that Toph was gone and wondered if their absences had something to do with each other…<p>

Suki nudged her, "What?" Katara said.

"Class is over, come on lets go to lunch."

"Do I have to?"

"Katara, you are a strong _woman_ and Zuko doesn't even scare you a little!" Suki encouraged.

"Right. Strong woman. Let's do this…"

As they walked into the caf, Katara tried not to look at Zuko and hold her head high. This proved to be easy because right after she got her lunch Aang and Toph walked in hand-in-hand. This wouldn't have been strange…except Aang was wearing the same clothes as the day before.

As Katara went to sit down, Suki made a sly maneuver so that SHE was next to Zuko and Katara was on her other side of Suki and Sokka, next to Sokka and an empty seat. That was right when suspicious Aang and Toph rolled up.

"Um Katara i—" Zuko started but she snapped,

"What Zuko?"

Sohe sighed and bent his head, "Here's your purse…"

She tried to sound sarcastic when Katara said, "Jee what a gentleman," she turned away and they stopped speaking.

Then she noticed Aang and Toph.

"Aang, are you wearing your same cloths from yesterday?" Katara noticed this immediately.

"What..? What are you uh, talkin' about?" when Aang giggled, Katara knew there was something up.

"Toph is there something wrong with him?"

"Um, yeah, he's a little bit drunk…" Toph said sheepishly.

Aang put his arm around Toph's shoulders and said, "That's right bitches!"

Katara looked so pissed that someone had to speak up. That someone was Sokka.

"Oh come on he deserves some fun!" Sokka said as Aang looked a bit lost.

"Oh my God! Toph? How could you let this happen? You are a terrible influence! He was the good, pure one of the group!"

"Oh uh that's gone too…" she said even more sheepishly.

"What. Do. You. Mean?" Katara was a kind of nervous mad.

"Katara, don't you think you are taking this a little too seriously?" Zuko said, Katara knew the conversation wasn't actually about Aang and Toph, they were talking now about her and Zuko.

"No! I am not; some people have to be responsible we can't all do whatever the hell we want whenever the fuck we want to!" Katara said back standing up.

Zuko stood up too, "Well it isn't their fault!"

"Yeah? Then whose is it? Were you cheating on Mai or on me?"

"Neither!"

"UGH, you're impossible!" she ran out with tears in her eyes, Zuko followed her, running out the doors. But right when he stepped out something tripped him. He looked up to see –"Godammit, Azula, I don't have time for you!"

"So what did you do to this one? What, did you fuck her and never call back? Our family seems to do that a lot, especially you."

"I do NOT."

"Oh Zuzu, when will you learn?"

"Azula, I say this with all of the brotherly love I feel for you; Fuck. Off."

"No Zuko, you should be told, you are terrible at dealing with girl troubles! First, you fucked up your relationship with Amy, then Ria, then Cecilia, then Lula, then Delia, then Veronica, then Mai and I will Not let you screw Katara over ALSO! Dammit Zuko!"

Zuko stared wide-eyed at his sister, amazed that she actually cared about him, "Uh, okay."

So, after school he went back to his father's house with Azula and they headed for the upstairs lounge room. He passed his father on the way, whom he had not seen in months, and Ozai said, "Hello Zuko, Azula."

It was mind-numbing how little his father cared for him. Azula broke his thoughts by saying "Zuko, we're going to teach you a lesson."

"Um, 'we'?"

"Yes, Azula opened the door to find every girlfriend Zuko had ever had. There were the ones he had had when he was younger, like, Sally Moore, Jordan Marks, Cho Chang, Lu Yen Maree, Mary Gold, Coco Coffin, Misao Lee, and Isobel Gratao and Lao Shoulhan, Gigi Wentworth, Audrey Pam-Bynes, Perri Price. Then his high school girlfriends, Amy Shander, Ria Jarman, Cecilia Voldo, Veronica Peters, Delia Mayers, Mai, of course, and Syra Banks.

"Holyyyy shittttt," dragged out each word, "Did I really have that many girlfriends?"

"Yup!" Azula said, "Your first ever girlfriend, you were six years old, here's Sally Moore. You dated for nine days, then you cheated on her with Jordan, whom you then dated for eleven days. Next came Cho, two years later, you dated her for two weeks then told her you were moving to Peru and started dating Lu Yen and Mary at the same time when you were eight. They each lasted a month, before they found out you were cheating on them." Azula had been gesturing to each girl as she talked and they all muttered 'hi' or glared at him, "And after that, a year later, you dated Coco for three weeks before you threw a worm at her, successfully ruining that relationship."

"Azula! Why are you doing this? I—"

But she cut him off and continued, "It is for your own good. Then we have Misao who you thought you loved but then got bored of and quit on her after a month and a half. Then we have Isobel, you dated her in seventh grade, you broke up with her for being annoying and went for her twin, Lao, you dated her for three days longer but dumped for the same reason. Then at camp before eighth grade you dated Gigi but told her you had died and dumped her. Then in eighth grade came your longer relationships, Audrey and Perri, they each got four months but you broke up with both of them for Lord-knows-what reason."

"Azula I don't think I should hear all of this, I think I got it, stop being a jerk."

"Zuko shut up and I will finish. And that's not what i was getting at," she gave him a glance that made Zuko think his sister DIDN'T totally despise him, "And now, onto the high school girlfriends; you had Amy, Ria, and Cecilia all freshman year, all at the same time. So, that ended with a bang, so of course sophomore year was your longest ever relationship, a year and a half with Mai, but after a while she bored you too," this was quite painful to hear, "And now we have after her, Veronica who you dated for an hour, had sex with, then never called back. Then Delia, whom you had sex with twice then dumped when we went to New York this summer, and then Syra who you dated at the beginning of this year for three and a half months before you went back to Mai, then cheated on her. And i won't even mention the other girls that i couldn't find, like Sandra Pierce, Lucy Emmes, Mia Nessesune, Lea Bursten, Mirra Sulsun, Kayla Stein, Carly Wells, Susan Dorphinkle, bad memories with her," Zuko shivered, "Dora Hale, Elizabeth Hale, Missy Mannerson, JJ Lewis, Moria Goldofsky, Zoe Hall, and so many more that you fucked then dumped." Zuko's first thought was amazment that Azula could remember all of these names.

"…" He stumbled incoherently.

"Zuko, don't you see? You fail all of your relationships and you will keep screwing them up unless you deal with it now! You have trust issues because of dad blah blah I get it but—"

"No you don't get it!"

"Look, if you screw up your relationship with Katara, you will be making a huge mistake, none of you relationships after her will ever work out," Zuko could tell his sister was pleading with him not to fuck this up. So he sighed and gave in.

The only problem was that Zuko did not know how to…

**Zuko's been a busy boy...**


	13. The Best Girls In Life Are the Sweetest

THE BEST GIRLS IN LIFE ARE THE SWEETEST

Aang walked away through the forest and after a look from Katara, Sokka followed him. He found Aang staring at the sunrise just over the cliff he was standing on, the whole seen was picturesque.

Sokka said, "Look, Aang, I know that you might think Toph is being completely unreasonable, but girls are like that. They are emotional, and pushy, and annoying and bossy and—"

"Sokka I get the point," Aang said, interrupting, "I don't think it matters what we got in a fight about."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it doesn't matter what she or I said…_before_," he blushed, "it only matters that I love her enough to, um, do THAT and she loves me too, I did it for HER because of HER, not as a heat of the moment thing. And she should know that; I think am just mad at _myself_ for not telling her, she deserves it."

"Ya know?" Sokka said, impressed, "you're pretty wise for a kid."

"Thanks Sokka," Aang said.

Sokka went on, "Usually it's annoying but right now, I'm just impressed!"

As Sokka stared at Aang, Aang rolled his eyes and said, "I appreciate that."

* * *

><p>By Friday, everyone was so tired of the week, that they all wanted to skip school, Zuko actually did. Though, the others didn't know, but what he was doing was, 'soul searching'. He had to get Katara back no matter what, so he decided on a plan.<p>

He was going to tell her exactly how he felt, because according to his sister, whom he had come to trust over the past few days, Katara felt the same way. And if she did, she obviously wouldn't be going on any dates tonight if she did, actually, Katara really wasn't one to go on any dates, she was sweet and caring and really didn't date unless she had a solid boyfriend. However, Katara had been acting very different lately, Zuko was pretty sure that she was saying she'd had an attitude change, she was a "badass" now. _Maybe THAT Katara would go on dates,_ Zuko started thinking. But then he told himself not to get cold feet. He was just nervous, that's all.

Well after all, the success or failure of the rest of his love-life seemed to hang on this. Great. Now he was even more nervous.

He started talking to himself, "Okay what would Uncle do? _'Zuko, you have to look within yourself to save yourself from your other self, only then, will your true self reveal itself.'_ Hmm, okay. What would Sokka say? _'You wanna what with my sister? You scumbag!'_ Well, Sokka is a no too. Okay, what would Toph say? '_Shut your whining, are you a man or what, where are those balls you SHOULD have? Go over to her and kiss the crap outta her. It is the only way.'_ Or maybe Aang? '_Zuko, loving someone is an art and should be treated with care ;)' _alright, I doubt Aang would say that. AHH NONE OF MY FRIENDS ARE HELPFUL!"

So, Zuko had to just tell her. He didn't want to tell her at school, too public. But not at HER house, too private. He could do some cool singing number like in '80s movies. Girls love that. But why was he so frozen? He was normally kind of a ladies man, maybe because all the other girls he had liked were just that: liked. But he LOVED this one. Okay, what about Paddy's. That place was great, only bums went there, and Jet, but Zuko wasn't worried about Jet. Jet is a douche, Katara probably hates that guy, Zuko thought.

He decided on telling her on the beach, NO, that place had too many bad memories. Then he decided on Paddy's, that place is NOT romantic. Then it was a lavish dinner at his house or a restaurant, NO, why would she want to go out with Zuko, Katara was mad at him…But not for long with what he had planned…

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><p>However, Friday evening didn't turn out exactly how Zuko thought it would. He had been an idiot, just expecting a teenage girl to stay home on Friday night because when he showed up at her house, it was empty. He felt like a loser, so what better thing to do than drown his sorrows in alcohol? So naturally he went to Paddy's.<p>

Katara however, was doing great. She had decided to take Jet up on his offer from a few days ago and she met him at the diner. She decided that since she was already going to date such a…rebel, she should look like a rebel's girlfriend. By that I mean that she wore the leather pants. When she showed up in leather pants, a tank top and a jean jacket, almost every guy in the diner wolf whistled or stared.

"Hey hot stuff," Jet said from a bar stool at the counter.

She sat next to him and replied, "Likewise."

From then on, the night was full of hamburgers, milkshakes, and flirting.

After an hour or two, Katara suggested that they take their party to the bar.

They took Katara's car to Paddy's and when they got out, Katara saw a familiar motorcycle.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath without Jet hearing.

But she kept her cool and walked in on the arm of Jet. Katara knew for a fact that Jet was not as tall as Zuko but he had buldging huge muscles. Not to say Zuko wasn't ripped, because he was but—what was she doing thinking of Zuko? He was a jerk!

Right when they walked in she spotted him, sitting in the back a table by himself downing some whisky.

Jet seemed to notice him to because he said, "Hey here's our boy Zuko!"

Zuko looked up and rolled his eyes at Jet, he didn't even notice that the slutty looking girl standing on his right was Katara until a second look. Zuko's eyes bugged out of his skull at the sight of her, "Katara?"

"Hey Zuko," she said trying to be cool.

"What, what are you doing with Jet?"

"Well I thought it would be obvious you shit-brain, we're on a date."

"A date huh?"

"Yeah," and then she pulled Jet away to another table, where she knew Zuko could still see them, but not hear what they were saying. _This must be awkward and uncomfortable for Zuko,_ she thought, but then she hardened, _oh well, that is the same way I felt when he tried to cheat on Mai with me._

She and Jet mindlessly flirted until Jet said, "You know, Acqua," He called Katara by her last name, "your pretty hot."

"Really? Prove it."

So he did. And Zuko saw the whole thing, Katara blush and then Jet lean in and kiss her. So Zuko decided that if Katara was going to flaunt how much she hated him, then Zuko would do the same thing.

**What's "our boy Zuko" gonna do? You'll have to read the next chapter and find out**


	14. Good Girl Gone bad

GOOD GIRL GONE BAD

**Hey i just wanted to tll you all that i do NOT support Jetara in ANY way. I hate it. That is why this isa ZUTARA story, Katara's relationship with Jet only lasts til like chapter 22. I know that that seems like a long way but i am going to do a Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, etc thing with this story. So there will be part 1 and it'll end in some epic conclusion then a few weeks later i will start updating again for part 2 and this will continue to repeat itself til i die. Jetara is a necessity in all the crap i have planned. Zutara will happen though, dont give up hope. If you do, a fairy will die. IF YOU ARE CONFUSED, REVIEW! IF NOT, REVIEW ANYWAY!**

_If Katara was going to flaunt how much she hated him, then Zuko would do the exact same thing._

"Hey Azula," Zuko said in to his phone the same night after seeing Katara and Jet, "I need a favor." It was random but he didn't care.

"_Oh what do you want you shit-face?"_

"It's about _getting_ Katara," he replied.

"_Ooh that sounds much more interesting than your incessant whining!"_

"Great…I need your friend Ty Lee's phone number."

"_Okay," _she replied.

"Wait? You aren't afraid I'm going to hurt her or screw her up emotionally or anything?"

"_No."_

"But I have broken like thirty girls hearts and she is your best friend…"

"_She's tough."_

"No she isn't. jeez I thought this would be harder…"

"_Zuko do you want it or not? Look, Ty Lee already has problems and I really don't give a shit if she gets another one, so here;"_ and she read off a number.

Zuko was a bit surprised at his sister's behavior and lack of care for her friend. Actually he wasn't. Azula was evil, but it still shocked him at just how evil and emotionless she really was. Sure he loved his sister like any other guy, but she wasn't exactly the best.

But then Zuko shrugged off the thought and called Ty Lee. She was Azula's sophomore friend. Captain of the cheerleading squad and a major whore. She probably had slept with a quarter of the males at Omashu, so obviously she would be easy and he wouldn't have a commitment afterwards, but Katara was doing the same thing with Jet…even if Katara herself didn't know it.

Also, Ty Lee would be getting something out of this…right? He knew that it was wrong to use her like this but she did it to other guys and anyway, she probably hooked up every weekend so it didn't matter if Zuko was just another hook up.

"Hey Ty Lee, it's Zuko, Azula's—"

"_Oh yeah I KNOW who you are Zuko Sozin! I am so glad you called!"_

"Um yeah. Anyway," he was really weirded out by her intensity, "your party was great last weekend and—"

"_And you want to continue it with just you and I?"_

"Actually no, that's not what I was thinking."

"_Oh um…"_

"But you know, I am having a party this weekend and I think you should be my date," Zuko said. He had always been good at asking out girls.

"_Oh that is so cool Zuko, I'd love to."_

"I'll pick you up at eight."

"_Cool!"_

"Oh and since you are such a good party host, I was wandering if you wanted to help me plan it," Zuko said, smoothly adding in for her benefit, "we'd get plenty more alone time."

"_Wow I can't wait, just make sure we get some privacy during the night," she said in a stupid seductive_ voice.

"Good, I'll see you later then."

"_Um Zuko? Who do you want to invite?"_

"_Everyone_," he said.

"Good! It will be great."

Zuko felt sort of bad because Ty Lee obviously liked him and he had no interest in her. Just her popular parties and having a hot date to make Katara jealous. It was a huge plus that he wouldn't even have to plan this thing. It was also a huge LUCKY plus, that his father was going to be out of town on Saturday and Sunday, so all he had to do was warm Azula up to the idea of a party. And make sure Katara actually came.

He had a hard time coming up with an idea on the whole Katara situation. But then he realized that he could just invite Jet. Jet didn't know Katara was mad at Zuko, he would be happy to come to a party and he would most likely invite Katara. And since Katara was acting so debonair she would have to come.

So, he texted Ty Lee, to _personally_ invite Jet. And Ty Lee told him it was no problem.

Zuko ws at his Uncle and his cousin Lu Tin's house now, but later he would pay a visit to his old house, he needed to talk to Azula. However, the visit did not go as planned.

"You want to what in my house?" Azula said when he suggested the party.

"Ty Lee's already planning it, the least you could do is say yes."

"No."

"Why Azula, I thught that you wanted to help me?" She was so confusing, one moment she helps him the next she hates him.

"Only a little, anyway, I am dads favorite, if I have a party then he will kill me!"

"You can blame it all on me!" Zuko yelled.

"He will ask why I didn't stop you Zuzu," Azula countered.

"Don't call me that!" he yelled. It was her childhood nickname for Zuko, when Azula was a baby and not a menace, she couldn't pronounce his name, thus was born: Zuzu.

"I will make sure there is no mess, he won't even know," Zuko said.

"Zuko if he finds out…"

"He won't, you're such a stickler for the rules, Sis," Zuko added the 'Sis' part because of her calling him Zuzu.

And so, the next night would be the party…

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Aang and Toph were sitting on his couch after school on Friday, watching the first Percy Jackson movie. Randomly, Toph said, "I hate it."

"What?" Aang said, "How could you hate it we love the books!"

"Yeah but last time I checked, they couldn't drive. They made these movie kids like five years too old."

"Oh yeah, I guess you're right."

"They really didn't make the movie ANYTHING like the books! I hate it when those stupid Hollywood people shit up movies!" she yelled.

"Language Toph," Gyatso yelled from the kitchen. He was rather old and therefore didn't like how 'the kids these days talked'.

"Sorry G," Toph thought she was so gangster when she called him G. She was not.

"Wouldn't it be so cool if we could do that?" Aang said, "You know bend water to our will and stuff?"

"Yeah I guess, but I'd much rather bend rocks and metal and stuff!"

"Why? I think it would be cool to bend air! You could make tornadoes and stuff," Aang said.

"No rocks would totally be more useful," Toph wa stubborn as ever.

"It would be cool to bend everything."

"No that would be too much!" Toph yelled

"Nuh uh!" Aang reinforced.

"Call Zuko!" Toph said.

"Maybe I will!"

Zuko was their mediator. Whenever Aang and Toph had childish fights, Zuko would always break them up. Being the oldest and most mature of the group. But that was a long time ago yet Toph and Aang still made him resolve their fights.

"Zuko, it's Aang, Toph and me were arguing abou—"

Zuko made a big sigh, "Just tell me what I need to do."

It was on speaker phone so Toph said, "We were wondering which thingy would be cooler to bend, rocks or air?"

"I always thought that it'd be nice to bend water," Zuko said, lost in his own thoughts.

"What? But—" Aang started, however, Zuko interrupted.

"Hey do you guys wanna come to a party at my house tomorrow?" Zuko seemed very distracted as if he were planning or thinking really hard about something.

"Sure," toph said.

"Good, tell the others," Zuko said. Aang knew he meant there other friends, Sokka, Suki, and Katara.

That had played right in to Zuko's plan, now with both Jet and all of her friends going, Katara was definite to show up.

After they hung up, Toph said, "That was weird, what wrong with him?"

Aang shrugged and then said, a moment later, "I'm bored."

"Oh whatever could we do?" Toph faked innocent wonder.

Aang smiled and caught on fast, and they started kissing.

However, they jumped apart upon hearing Gyatso's voice say, "I don't hear talking."

"What? We were just uh…" Aang tried to supply something to calm Gyatso down. He looked at Toph franticly and she said,

"Reading," it kind of came out as an unsure statement. They were both a little nervous.

It wasn't like they were planning to have sex right there in the living room, actually they had only done it that first time a couple weeks ago. That first time had been everything each of them had ever dreamed or wanted and all that jazz, but being fifteen and in love is hard. Either people think you are too young to know what you want or you make a huge mistake. Neither Toph nor Aang thought the latter, but it was hard to tell; they had fights constantly, but usually after the fights were resolved, Toph got a funny, happy, laugh-y feeling in her stomach and thought maybe their relationship would last.

But then they would have another fight and her happy world would crash down on her and she would realize how fate is cruel and that her reality would be sad. Their relationship would never work, who could possibly stay with one person for their whole life? No one, Toph answered herself. Soon they would have to have a fight too big, not just an argument like the one at the coffee shop with Sokka and Suki, or the one in the cafeteria at school, something that would break them apart only too well. Toph only wished they may be friends after the death of their love…

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><p><strong>REVIEW<strong>


	15. Assume Makes an ASS Out of U and Me

WHEN YOU ASSUME YOU MAKE AN ASS OUT OF YOU AND ME

**I love it how people refer to shippers as Zutarians or Kataangers, it's l****ike they're some kind of alien race**

Katara thanked Jet as she walked back to her car. It had been a good date up until they went to the bar, where they saw the one person Katara had wanted to get away from. She thought she could just ignore Zuko, right up until Jet started talking to him. Their eyes locked and she almost felt like she was cheating on him. Which of course was crazy, he had no claim to her, even if he did like her…

She got in her blue car and started driving home. Halfway there, she got a text, it said:

_Hey hey R U going to the partay?_

It was from Suki so Katara replied.

_**Katara**: what party?_

_**Suki**: Zuko's, aren't you going, it will be so hot!_

_**Katara**: idk r u and Sokka?_

_**Suki**: tots_

_**Katara**: should I still be mad at Zuko?_

_**Suki**: u don't have to like him to go to his party_

_**Katara**: I guess ur right_

_**Suki**: im always right baby_

The short conversation was very informative. So Zuko was having a party and invited Suki and Sokka, which probably meant he invited Aang and Toph also. Basically he was having a party and hadn't even invited his supposed best friend. What the hell? Yes they were sort of fighting but that was low. The more she thought about it, the more she did NOT want to attend.

She decided not to go even if her other friends were going. She would catch up on her homework or do something fun…BY HERSELF.

So that's what she did on her Saturday. She settled in with math at first, then got bored and started reading random books off her book shelf. First there was a book of poetry, then Harry Potter, then a book by Chelsea Handler, but after that, she was interrupted by a text from Suki. Suki apparently wanted her to go to the party.

Katara tried to ignore it, however, that was hard after Aang called her and told her to come, and also Jet texted her, saying he was going. Finally it got to the point where she was so mad, Katara was not thinking straight. She left her house and headed for the French Quarter. The very biggest and nicest houses in the city. Where Zuko lived, she arrived at his house much earlier than when the actual event would start. The sun hadn't even set. She was still in her ripped, comfy jeans and a tee shirt that used to be Sokka's. But honestly, she didn't care if Azula saw her like this and Zuko had seen her like this a million times already.

She banged on the door of a huge marble house (palace) until they opened. It was Zuko himself at the door. Obviously he was shocked to see her. She figured it was because he hadn't invited her and she was now making this very uncomfortable. Good.

"So it's true," she said crossing her arms.

"W-what?"

"You invited everyone but me?"

That was when Zuko realized his mistake, he thought her friends would just relay Katara the information about his party so he could seem indifferent to her, she would be jealous that way. Except now she was REALLY jealous.

"So he tried to soothe the situation, "No! Katara, I –the party, it was meant for you!"

"Oh how special! You threw a party for me and happened to forget to invite me? That's convincing Zuko."

"No Katara I really did!" But at that moment the worst thing happened to arrive.

"Hi Zuko!" Ty Lee jumped out of her car and ran toward the front door where Zuko and Katara were still standing. She strode up to Zuko and kissed him on the cheek and smiled.

Katara was shocked and sad, she said, "For me huh?"

And then she left. Quickly getting in her car with Zuko calling her name after her. She didn't want to hear it. So he was with Ty Lee, that girl had to have slept with at least twenty guys just this year. She knew Zuko had lost his virginity, but she didn't really want to think about it, it hadn't mattered to her because up until now, whenever Zuko had a new girlfriend, he kept her separate from his friends. Katara had never had to see her at lunch or see them making out at the diner. But Zuko had changed. And so had she.

So she drove home and called Jet.

"Let's go to the party," she said.

"_Huh what?"_ he said.

"Zuko's house. Tonight."

"_Cool," he said, "By the way babe, we should go on a road trip this weekend."_

"Just the two of us?"

"_Yeah..?"_

"Good." She affirmed and then hung up.

Katara was going to that party whether Zuko wanted her or not. She put on an off-the-shoulder blue dress with a dark blue belt. The dress was pretty short, but it didn't look slutty somehow. She knew she looked good by the time Jet picked her up. She would show Zuko…

They arrived at the party fashionably late and right away saw Suki and Sokka. However, what she saw wasn't that bad, it was just that they were doing it in public. She decided not even to talk to them so she moved on to Toph and Aang who were hanging out by the stairs talking to Ria. Toph looked extra pretty tonight wearing a bright green dress. When Katara and Jet walked up they stopped talking.

"What's up?" Katara asked.

"hi," Aang said and looked away. At first Katara thought that he was acting weird because she had heard what Toph was saying before she walked up, it was something about feeling under the weather lately.

Toph said, "uh, can I talk to you…alone?"

"Uh, um yeah," Katara said.

Once they were out of earshot, Toph turned to Katara and said, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you are hanging out with Jet lot, you keep dissing Zuko, you haven't even talked to your brother in like a week, and you have never gotten as shitty of grades as you get now," Toph said all of this in one breath.

"Oh who do you think you are Toph, last time I checked Toph, you were the biggest slacker in school but now you are worried about MY grades?" Katara got really mad. What did Toph know? Nobody could boss her around.

"Katara I am trying to be your friend, Aang is worried too," Toph said back.

"Don't bring Aang in to this! You're just –just bitter."

"Fuck Katara! You are acting like a bitch and you better cut it out!"

"You know what? I don't need this, _mom_," and with that, Katara left to find Zuko and rub in his face how cool Jet was.

Katara saw Zuko with Ty Lee hanging all over him and her anger pumped higher. Katara stormed up to Zuko and said, "Ty Lee I didn't think you'd ever sink as low as hiring a prostitute!"

"Oh no Katara, this is _Zu-ko_," Ty Lee said his name as though Katara had never even seen Zuko before.

"Um, yeah…Anyway _Zu-ko_, I just wanted to tell you that I am not mad anymore."

She was definitely still mad. "Because I've replaced you, see, I don't need people using me," Katara came back. She was being extra nasty because for one thing, her pride was on the line, and she was a little drunk.

"Yeah and who's my replacement? Jet?" he said it in a joking manner but then dropped his smile and let his mouth hang open when Jet walked up and put his arm around Katara.

"Yes," she said smiling.

"That is so cute!" Ty Lee yelled, "We could double.

"Let's," Katara stared at Zuko, challenging him with her eyes to deny it.

"Great, let's do it right now, I think the upstairs isn't totally packed yet," now it was Zuko's turn to stare indignantly at KATARA.

Jet and Ty Lee muttered their okays. And they went up the stairs. And sat on a fancy red Sozin couch.

Zuko leaned over to Katara and snapped, "What are you doing?"

"Why what ever could you mean?"

Ty Lee and Jet were in an intense conversation about how both of their fathers were in the military so they didn't notice Katara and Zuko.

"Last time I checked, you didn't like guys like…him."

"You act like Jet is a bad guy, well he happens to be great with me!"

"Yeah? And Azula is a nice person too!"

"Look Zuko, maybe you're just jealous," Katara looked over at Zuko when she said that.

"No, maybe YOU are jealous of Ty Lee, she's hot," Zuko said.

"Yeah, you know who else is hot? JET."

"Yeah, well-" But just then, Ty Lee interrupted.

"Would you guys just kiss!"

Zuko and Katara both said at the same time, "WHAT?"

Then Katara started stammering, "I would never…not again…you think I wanna…"

Zuko just said, "Gross no!"

Ty Lee sighed and muttered something about a perfect couple, a delusional perfect couple.


	16. Luv iz Nvr Havin2Say Ur Sry but do NEway

LOVE IS NEVER HAVING TO SAY YOU'RE SORRY BUT DOING IT ANYWAYS

**I have b****een inspired…by TAang!**

* * *

><p>Toph and Aang were sleeping on Toph's couch the morning after Zuko's party. They didn't fuck up her house like the last time Aang had stayed over. Though they were both drunk last night. It wasn't as bad as the last time but Aang still had a headache. He hated hangover headaches, it felt like someone had just split his head open then punched him in the face.<p>

What woke him up, he did not know, but when he DID wake up, he saw Toph. Her waist length hair was totally out of its up do and she was still wearing her dress from last night. Aang realized that he was shirtless but luckily he still had his pants on, they hadn't had sex last night, this was good because drunken sex and teenagers usually don't mix well. He knew he hadn't thought to bring along condoms so he was glad that he hadn't needed any last night.

Back to Toph, her hair was messy and her outfit looked like it was on backwards or something. He got up, they were laying on a couch somewhere, and looked around for his shirt. He didn't immediately see it, so instead he tried to wake up his girlfriend.

"Toph, Toph, _Toph_, wake up…"

"Fuck off," she muttered sleepily.

"Look, is that bacon?"

That woke her up, "WHERE?"

"Hey Toph," Aang said with a smile now that she was sitting up.

"Ugh, where the hell are we?"

"We're at your house…I'm hungry."

She clutched her stomach and said, "Me too!"

But at the sudden movement Toph lurched, "AOUGHH."

"What is it?" Aang asked her.

But instead of answering, Toph ran out of the room.

"Toph? Toph?" he followed her into the hall and down the corner, but then a door slammed in his face and he heard Toph getting sick. Slowly Aang opened the door, "Toph..?"

She got sick again, except this time Aang held back her hair back. When she was done she brushed her teeth and then they looked at each other.

Neither Toph nor Aang wanted to be the first one to say something. They had been drinking last night but not nearly enough for her to throw up. That could be it though. Or she could be sick…

Both of them knew it was unlikely though.

* * *

><p>'<em>Check yes Juliet <em>_Are you with me__Rain is falling down on the sidewalk__I won't go until you come outside_'

The music Katara played was blaringly loud but she didn't mind it. Right now Sokka wasn't home, he was on a study date with Suki and Hakoda didn't get back from his business trip until later in the week, Katara's birthday was nearing, as was the end of school. Actually, it was in one week exactly, Katara unknowingly tensed. Ever since it happened she had come to dread her birthday, and for good reason.

Katara decided that she wanted to do something fun now. So she called Toph. But Toph was having issues, so Katara called Aang. But Aang was in on those issues. So finally Katara called Jet, Jet said HE was busy also, but he had something important to ask her. He invited her to the diner the next evening. Katara was nervous as to what it might be but she didn't think much of it.

Then Katara started feeling strange, like she needed a REAL boyfriend, sure her and Jet went on dates and kissed but who didn't do that. Going on two dates doesn't exactly scream 'commitment'. All of her friends were busy with their boyfriends and what was she doing? She decided to go to Paddy's, it wasn't like she had anything better to do…

So late Sunday night, Katara gathered herself and her car and drove to Paddy's. Which probably was not safe, because there would be no designated. But she honestly didn't care driving up. Once inside, Katara ordered the most lavish drink on the menu, a Mojito. And then her date with Jet repeated itself. As she was sipping the drink, Zuko walked in the bar.

Katara immediately turned and tried to hide her face, Zuko was with Aang, which was suspicious because he was supposed to be with Toph…wasn't she sick or something..? Katara succeeded at staying incognito right up until her phone rang, she had 'I Just Had Sex' as a ringtone, so right away Aang and Zuko saw her. The air suddenly became very thick and you could feel the awkward buzzing through them. The worst part was, her phone didn't stop ringing.

Katara felt really alone. She was popular, she was NEVER put in situations like this, she was cool, she had plenty of friends, when had she become such a loser? Going alone to a bar at 10 o'clock on a Sunday evening doesn't scream cool.

But instead of being a huge pussy, she started talking to them, eventually they were all laughing and Katara felt the need to say something, anything.

She sighed, "Zuko, I am sorry, honestly I don't even remember why we were fighting…"

"Katara, thanks, you're really great."

Aang said, "Ahhh hugs for everyone!"

And that was it. After a week of useless, mindless fighting, that simple thing made them up. Katara felt like an idiot.

"You guys, I feel like such a nerd, let's go somewhere!"

After Katara's spiel, Zuko smiled drunkenly, let's go to Chuckie Cheese!"

"Wow Zuko, what a great idea!" Aang said, the funniest part was that because he was so fucked up, he was serious.

So, they both looked at Katara. Not wanting to be a buzz-kill, Katara consented, "Let's do it bitches!"

So Aang and Katara rod in Katara's blue car while Zuko raced down the road in his custom motorcycle. Upon arriving to the childish destination, Aang jumped out of the car and ran to the doors.

"What the FUCK?" he yelled. They were locked. Looking back on the event later, Katara realized that it was really stupid for them to think that a children's funhouse would be open at 11:30 p.m. at night.

"Dammit you guys!" Zuko yelled, "what the hell do we do now?"

Katara said, "Isn't it obvi?"

When Aang and Zuko gave her drunken and confused looks, Katara laughed, "We live in New Orleans! Let's take a visit to Bourbon Street. There's a great party going on SOMEWHERE and it is waiting for us!"

It was a dumb idea, the place was far away, smelled bad, was crowded, but it was really FUN. Anyway, anyone could get cheap alcohol…

Once on Bourbon Street, Aang, Zuko, and Katara were pushed along with the crowd. Zuko walked up to a bar on the street and got some liquor…Aang and Katara looked a little too young.

So after seeing the lights, smelling the stench, and seeing bar after bar and lots of half-naked women luring men in. Katara was proud of Zuko, though she didn't say it aloud; he did not look at any of them.

After getting excessively drunk Katara loosened up, she linked her left arm through Zuko's right and her right arm through Aang's left. She laughed and snorted and watched all of the people as they walked along the famous streets.

"Zu-Zu-Zu-um-ko, let's uh, let's enjoy our time tog-tog-together!"

Zuko, being not AS drunk, stared at her, "What do ya mean?"

"I mean, you-you-you leave for uh, uh, coll-ege. Soon"

"Not for another year…" Aang said, looking fondly at Zuko.

Katara, forgetting the conversation after a moment, said, "Hey, let's go in there!"

She pointed to a bar across the way. So they went in. Katara, being her bad self, grinded on Zuko and tripped a lot. But when she woke up the next morning, it was not at all where or how she remembered…

* * *

><p>Suki woke up on Sokka's chest. It was midday. She had a headache. Then she realized where she was, in Sokka's room, she had a slight panic before she remembered that Hakoda was out of town. Again.<p>

She woke up Sokka and put on his shirt and they both walked downstairs. They didn't know where Katara was but right now that didn't really matter. Sokka coffee and Suki sat down at the kitchen table.

"Hey Sokka?" Suki asked, deep in thought.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you so mad at your Dad?" She that this was an uncomfortable topic for him but Suki also knew that it would be good for Sokka to talk about it.

He sighed, "Is now the right time to talk about this?" He clearly didn't want to go in to the heavy subject about his screwed up family.

"I'm sure," Suki said.

"Fine…Seven years ago, my mom was murdered."

* * *

><p><strong>Whoa, Sukka drama, Zutara love, Taangy scare, and…WHERE DID KATARA WAKE UP THIS MORNING?<strong>


	17. What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger

WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU MAKES YOU STRONGER

**Sorry but this will be sort of short… 4 reviews or I WILL NOT post. And seriously, i know you guys don't like errors, so please i need a beta, i work so much better that way and maybe i would upload more should i get one... hint hint**

"_Fine…Seven years ago, my mom was murdered."_

"I was nine or ten years old when it happened," Sokka started off recounting the painful story.

When he paused, Suki led Sokka to the couch and put her arm on him, "Just tell me, you'll feel better."

"I was nine or ten years old and it was the middle of the night," Sokka started as though this were a scary story he told the setting first, "My dad was-" he paused painfully, "Out of town, Katara, me and our—our mom were all sleeping. And then I was woken up by Katara, she ran into my room crying and then i—I heard this noise, it was like a bomb exploding down the hall. Then, Katara passed out and I heard sirens and when the police came, this police officer, he came into my room and took Katara away from me and handed me a phone. I can still remember exactly what my dad said, he said, "Sokka, I'm so sorry, but you need to get out of the house."

"Sokka, i-i-I am so sorry—"

But Sokka had a blank look in his eyes, he was lost in the story, "I still didn't even know what happened though, I tried to run into my m—mom's room but they wouldn't let me. And then I saw her, laying there, it was—it was really really disgusting. There was blood dripping everywhere and all of the pictures of us and our family on the night stand were gone. The room looked…haunted."

Suki was crying very hard now, which seemed to snap Sokka out of his trance, he held her and together they started crying even more. After a very long time Suki looked up and said,

"Don't you feel better now?" he looked a little relieved about telling his girlfriend this, but his next reaction was not what Suki was expecting,

"No," Sokka yelled, "No! I have never felt better! Ever since that day. I am empty. I know, I know I have my dad and Katara, she was always so strong, and she took over once our mom died she-she I don't know. But i-I haven't, I had to go through bullies in school, and practically raising Katara and her raising me, and puberty all by myself! My dad is never home! I had to deal with it ALL BY MYSELF! That's why I hate him so much!"

* * *

><p>'Where am I?' Katara thought to herself when she woke up. She was in a huge bed with lots of other people on the floor. She was not a slut or anything more like a prude, but she had drunken a lot and well…<p>

She was fully clothed, except she did not have her shoes. Katara felt like she had been…kidnapped. Once again, she asked herself where she was. The room was green and blue, and she saw Pipsqueak, Zuko, The Duke, and the girl that had tried to beat Katara up, Sasuke. What the fuck?

It was dark but she could still tell that it was somewhere around morning time. So she crawled out of bed and nudged Zuko.

"Where are we?" Katara asked when Zuko awoke.

"Shit! Katara you're okay!" Zuko hugged her, Katara was confused but she hugged him back.

"Let's just get out of here…" Katara suggested.

"Please."

So, Katara and Zuko fled, the Katara realized something, "Where's Aang?"

"He went home at like 1 a.m. last night—or this morning…"

"What time is it?" Katara asked as they walked down the street from the small apartment building they'd been in.

Zuko looked at his phone, "6 a.m."

"I'm hungry."

"Let's go to the diner," Zuko suggested. So they continued down the block until finding Katara's car and Zuko's bike.

Upon arriving at the diner, Katara started questioning Zuko, "What did we do last night, where were we? Why can't I remember?"

"Uh, you were really drunk so, I sorta," he cleared his throat and blushed, "looked out for you, we met up with Jet sometime," Zuko's face darkened at the mention of Jet, "And then we went to another club, and then Jet tried to get you alone…but I didn't let him."

"Oh…" Then Katara remembered the day, "Zuko! We've got school!"

"Who cares?"

"No, Zuko we really have to go, I have an English test and Pakku will KILL me if I skip school again, he's gonna tell my dad."

Zuko mumbled something about life being no fun without risk but complied. They still had an hour until school started, so Zuko paid and they left. Zuko was getting on his bike when Katara said, "Zuko, thanks for taking care of me last night," she blushed bright red and looked away, "You're a real gentleman."

And then Katara ran away, to her car and then sped off.

However, when she got home she found Suki and Sokka on the couch. It would have been better to see them doing it than the scene she saw now. They were both crying, she immediately knew why but that didn't make it any better.

* * *

><p>Toph and Aang argued as they walked into Katara and Sokka's house bright and early Monday morning. Aang was once again hungover which he was NOT happy about. He was also NOT happy about arguing with Toph again.<p>

Toph had (nervously) dismissed the incidents of this morning and was now on a new subject: Aang. "I just don't understand why you are sooo hung up on this?" she was saying.

"Because we can't just skip school all the time!"

"You're just mad because I didn't want to do it last—holy shit!" Toph fell down in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Toph?"

She was clutching her stomach again. "I'm fine," she said pushing him away.

They continued walking in silence until they arrived at Chez la Katara/Sokka. Toph used the key Katara had given her once and barged in. However, like Katara, they walked in on a saddening scene. Sokka, Suki, and Katara, all teary eyed, sitting on the couch.

* * *

><p>After third period, Zuko still hadn't seen any of his friends. So, he had to sit with Azula, Mai, Ty Lee, Ria and a bunch of other stupid sluts his sister hung out with. The rest of the day sucked too.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Okay I only put in that last part in for comic relief, like everybody is at Katara and Sokka's house and poor Zuko is going to school…LOL<strong>

**R&R R&R R&R R&R R&R R&R R&R!**


	18. You Can't Choose Your Family

Ch18

YOU CAN'T CHOOSE YOUR FAMILY

**Hey my midterm exams are next week and high school sucks so i have been so busy, i'm REALLY sorry this is late! Next chapter will be up sunday or sooner;)**

* * *

><p><em>It was the least to say that the former house of Kya was tense for the next few days. Hakoda continued to lash out at Katara because of his anger at Sokka and the Universe for taking his wife. He was not fit to raise two teenagers by himself. He needed Kya so much.<em>

By Thursday, Katara couldn't even handle being in the same room as Sokka or her father, rather for the last two nights, she had chosen to stay at friend's houses.

However, Friday night, the day school ended as well as Katara's birthday, she was commanded to be at home as well as having Sokka and Hakoda home too. By 2 p.m. she couldn't even appreciate the pep rally type ceremony going on in the gym, she was dreading going home so much. She had been very off the last few days because of her family situation, so neither she or Sokka were sitting with their friends. Katara sat next to Jet and his friends and Sokka sat with Yue, Haru, and Teo.

But the end of the day was approaching fast, encroaching on Katara and when she least expected it, the bell rang. She sullenly met Sokka at her car where they both proceeded to get in. Sokka was shotgun and Katara driving. Katara drove purposely slow. Neither sibling spoke. You could literally feel the awkward pulsating in the car.

An agonizingly long time later, they reached the house and Katara took a long time turning off the air conditioner and getting her backpack, but it was inevitable, she had to go inside sometime. And so she put on a brave face and sauntered inside.

Once inside, she saw a cake, vanilla, her least favorite flavor. On the counter, a gift that Hakoda had not even bothered wrapping, a generic piece of jewelry with a big pink heart hanging off a chain. Yuck.

Right when she stepped inside, her father handed Katara a card and put a big, fake grin on his face. Trying to lighten the mood, Hakoda had put on soft Christmas music and set the table with a fancy table cloth.

"Katara we are going to have a family dinner tonight," Hakoda said in a tight, strained voice. "I got you these to relax…"

Hakoda handed her a bottle of bath salts and awaited Katara's reaction.

Katara studied the bottle then frowned, "Dad, I'm allergic to eucalyptus."

"Oh—oh, well um…"

"Whatever," Katara shoved the bottle back at him and ran up the stairs.

She took (once again) her time. Wasting time brushing her hair more than necessary and soaking in the bath tub for a good forty-five minutes. By the time she had an appropriately nice blue dress on it was past 6:30. Katara really couldn't wait anymore so she took a few deep breaths and started for the stairs.

However, she ran in to her brother on the way. Apparently he was biding his time as well; they awkwardly glared at each other and set off down the stairs.

* * *

><p>Toph had missed the last day of school and Aang and Suki were worried about her. Obviously they were worried about their favorite siblings as well, but that was beside the point.<p>

So, that was the thought process that led them to where they were right now. Standing on the Bei Fong's front door step waiting for someone inside to answer the door. Aang motioned for the doorbell again but stopped when the door flew open. "Yes?" a tense voice belonging to an even tenser looking man asked.

"We're here to see Toph."

"Hmph, come in."

Suki eyed him but she and Aang walked inside regardless. They knew where Toph's room was so they headed up. Aang knocked on her door and heard a mumble from inside, which he figured to be a 'come in'. So Aang glanced at Suki and then stepped inside the threshold to his raven haired girlfriend's room.

Her room was classic Toph. It had been painted light green with frilly, girly furniture until Toph redid all of the white furniture and made it black and splatter painted all over the walls, afterwards she and her parents got in what was probably the biggest fight ever and so on so on.

However, now, she didn't look like the rebellious girl they knew, Toph looked horrible; she was lying in bed, clearly sick. Aang was really startled by this, because yesterday she was fine, but now she looked pale and exhausted.

"Toph, what…what..?" Suki awkwardly voiced Aang's opinions.

"I am sick geniuses," Toph said, her voice sounded normal, not like she looked.

"What's wrong is what Suki was trying to say," Aang said, shooting Suki a look. Suki returned his gesture with a diplomatic shrug.

Aang walked over to Toph and sat down on the edge of the bed, Suki then stood over the bed and put a hand on little Toph's forehead.

"Hmm, you don't feel warm, Toph…"

Toph replied, "I know, I really don't feel bad, I was throwing up this morning but now I am good." She reached for a glass of water on the night stand but her hand was shaking so much, she knocked it over.

"Oh," Suki squealed and picked the glass up and set it no the table. Toph quickly jumped out of bed to get a towel but felt a feeling of vertigo. The walls spun and she fell in to Aang. He looked concerned and helped her back in bed. He himself got the towel for the floor.

"Well if you have a stomach bug, that can't be normal," Aang added.

"I mean, maybe you'll be okay in a day or two, you were fine a day ago," Suki said.

"Yeah, but my parents made me stay home, otherwise I guess I would have come to school today," Toph replied.

A look passed between Aang and Toph and he said, "Are you really okay?"

"I guess," Toph said sounding unsure. "But it's just," Toph sat up, still looking concerned. But she quickly dismissed the thought. It was impossible.

"I wonder if this is something more serious, you haven't been feeling well in a while," Aang mused.

"Nope, I am great Twinkle Toes." Toph was back to herself.

"Um, yeah okay," Aang said and looked away.

Sometime between now and the last five minutes, the air had gotten thick, Aang couldn't even think of anything to say, so they all three kept their thoughts to themselves in the silence.

**R&R!**


	19. The Inexperience of Youth

THE INEXPERIENCE OF YOUTH

Katara couldn't believe this was happening.

Their family used to be so close, even after Kya died, they were still close.

But now, Katara was sitting at the dining room table in a house she had lived in for over five years and yet it felt so foreign.

Sokka was sitting in front of her, every time she caught his eye; well actually, she had been trying not to for the past half hour. Her father, however, wouldn't stop catching her eye, and each time he did he would smile like everything was totally okay even though it wasn't and never would be.

So far, they had only gotten through salads and yet the dinner was taking forever. Hakoda told them to "wait right here" as if they would leave? While he got the chicken main dish. He had left a fancy cake sitting on the counter as if he had baked it himself, to show his kids how great he was for buying it. _Because it is so hard to go to the bakery and pay 15 bucks?_

When he came back, Katara couldn't take the eerie silence anymore. They had literally been sitting there all evening and practically no words had been spoken. It was stupid.

She tried to start some forced conversation, but it didn't work. So finally, everyone finished the chicken and before desert, Hakoda brought out the babyish necklace.

"Wow…thanks dad," Katara didn't even try to sound enthusiastic.

"Ahh, you know Katara I went thru real trouble to give you a nice fucking dinner, the least—"

"Yeah, because it was so hard to go to a restaurant and pick this shit up?"

"Don't you curse at your father. I would've made it but—"

"But you can't cook? I know!"

"Dammit Katara," and then he did something SO out of character, Hakoda picked up the dish, chicken and all, and threw it at the wall. "You kids make it SO hard sometimes! Ever since your mother died you act like shit!"

"WE act bad? Us? Are you sure it isn't just you!" Sokka yelled.

By now it was a total screaming fit in the house. So Katara, possibly in the worst mood she had ever been in, went upstairs, calmly threw the contents of her drawers in to an Adidas gym bag, grabbed a toothbrush and a few more necessities and left her house without either Sokka or Hakoda knowing. The cake was still sitting on the counter and would probably stay there for a while.

* * *

><p>She knew it was bad. It was <em>bad<em> bad. Not just, I stole gum from a gas station bad or I drank half a bottle of vodks in one night bad, but more like, I went to prison bad. It was bad but she didn't care, once Katara left her house, she knew exactly where she was going.

And when she got there, Jet was mighty happy…

* * *

><p>It was hands down, without a doubt the worst thing Katara had ever done. Leaving home to run off with a boyfriend to go Lord-knows-where. But Katara did not give a shit as the wind blew through her hair in the cool night's breeze.<p>

"Which relative is it?" Katara asked again over the loud highway. They were driving in Jet's dad's convertible to Orlando, Florida. She was almost positive that Jet's dad didn't know about their vehicle use. The trip would last under a week, they would take a few days to drive there and back, and spend one and a half days on the beaches.

"Oh, yeah it is my dad's sister, Aunt Margarita," Jet replied.

"Margarita…where'd she get that name?"

Jet just laughed. Katara did not quite know why, she hadn't been making a joke. But something made her not want to know about ANY of Jet's relatives. She had been getting some pretty clear signs from his ogling eyes and not all of those signs were good.

They drove a few more hours, talking some, listening to the radio other times. Then, Katara spotted a nice looking Holiday Inn and they stopped for the night.

* * *

><p>Zuko was, to say the least, scared. The trial date was set, there was no avoiding it. This was happening. He could count on no help from Azula, she had become impartial, Zuko knew she cared about him even if she tried to hide it...she was complex. He knew his uncle would try but. There was always that but, Zuko wished he could run away.<p>

* * *

><p>Suki had left a few hours ago with the excuse of a math test but she had been giving Aang and Toph a look and they weren't blind…<p>

So, with some extra alone time Aang said, "So, what's up?"

Toph started laughing at his pathetic conversation starter. "I guess not much, Twinkle Toes."

Toph sat up in bed and got out from under the sheets and Aang moved over until he was on the bed as well. They were sitting next to each other, leaning against the headboard, when Aang unconsciously grasped Toph's hand. She noticed but she liked it, the silence was comfortable and she was glad that it was so easy for him to be around her that he could make these small gestures and not even notice. Aang looked deep in thought so Toph stayed quiet for a moment.

Then she remembered something, "Aang! Shit my parents are gonna be home, you gotta go," It was nothing personal against Aang, he knew how her parents were and it wasn't good.

"Crap," he replied, and then they heard the door downstairs click.

"No, no, nooo," Toph said under her breath, they could NOT know that a boy was here.

But they were coming up the stairs, then Toph had an idea, if they could get to the third floor, then he could hide up there and sneak out. They'd never even know!

"Come on," Toph said and grabbed her boyfriend's hand, leading them up the stairs. However, they only got halfway before she heard her mother calling for Toph.

"Um, up here mom!"

"Well come down immediately Toph Bei Fong." Poppy was precise and cold.

"Uh 'kay," Toph said and rushed down the stairs, Aang stayed where he was.

As Toph got to the last step, Poppy said, "Quit saying 'um', speak proper English young lady. And what are you wearing, I buy you dresses for a reason."

"Yeah and I don't WEAR them for a reason," Toph mimicked her mother. Toph hadn't seen her in a week, she was pretty sure her parents had been on vacation. Her mother's face had a dark tan. As always, she looked the opposite of Toph, Poppy's hair was short and just a few shades lighter than her daughters. Her face was pretty and she had large eyes and a stern, thin lipped mouth.

Toph cleverly stepped to her left until she was facing the stairs and her mother was facing the opposite. This way, only Toph could see Aang's escape.

And he did escape, softly walking down the stairs.

"Toph, you are missing school next week, we're going to Greece, isn't that exciting? Your father is winning an award!"

"Mom, jeez school is out…"

"Oh, then you should be more gracious, have we taught you no manners?"

Toph muttered something that was anything but gracious as Aang passed right next to Mrs. Bei Fong. He gave Toph a look and so she said, "Mom! I have something to show you in my room," and so they left, leaving Aang home free, almost. He got down the stairs alright and was out the door when the worst thing happened: he saw Lao. Mr. Bei Fong was by a car in the driveway so Aang quickly dived in the bushes.

"Boy! What are you doing in there?" Mr. Bei Fong saw him.

"Who me?" who else? Aang thought, "I was…I am your gardener sir…"

It was a lame excuse but Lao bought it. "Well, trim around those bushes."

He hadn't even asked why he had never seen Aang in his entire life and why he was wearing jeans and a polo to garden. He also hadn't asked where Aang's tools were. Rich people are so stupid. It just showed how little Lao thought of people who weren't rich or famous…


End file.
